


Heart of a Mer

by FantasyOcean



Series: Breaking Free [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Trauma, mermaid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:00:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 60
Words: 251,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22766647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasyOcean/pseuds/FantasyOcean
Summary: Sequel to Cry of the Mer.Having left the Lemuria Institution - where so many horrors occured - far behind, Katie and Luna couldn't be more relieved to be free of the torment that still haunts their dreams. But they're far from at peace. Struggling with the onslaught of Post-Traumatic nightmares and stress, they both face new challenges. For Luna, finding the home and family she doesn't remember will be a difficult journey weighed down by a lack of self worth, and may come with a price too high to pay.And Katie - the halfbreed science project - must now try to find what being a Mer really means and find a place in one of two worlds no longer built for her. Sacrifices must be made, and with the ever constant threat of being rediscovered looming over their heads, both Mer feel it is only a matter of time before the storm breaks out once more and drags them back to the captivity where everything began.
Series: Breaking Free [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1342162
Comments: 91
Kudos: 23





	1. Struggling

Katie’s fin dangled over the edge of the couch. She breathed deeply through her nose and held the breath for a long moment, staring with an unblinking gaze at Lewis as he shifted the stethoscope against the violet scales rippled across her chest. He didn’t speak for a moment, but his lips twitched slightly, as though counting silently in his head. The stretch of quiet felt like an eternity, but finally he pulled the medical device away and turned to jot something down on a notepad.

The tips of her fin twitched and Katie chewed her lip, glancing away to hide her irritation. Even the slight scratch-scratch of his pen across the paper was annoying her today. She chewed absently on a fingernail, turning to stare across the room. Luna was laying on the floor a little ways away, her tail arched idly behind her. Her tongue poked out the side of her mouth as she fingered a puzzle piece. She’d really taken lately to quiet, simple activities. Katie imagined it helped absorb her thoughts, especially after a particularly bad nightmare.

A prick in her tail brought Katie to shift position, tugging the appendage away. She turns to find Lewis with tweezers still outstretched. He didn’t seem to notice her annoyance and instead reached once again for one of the rippling scales. This time, she was a little more forceful about yanking away from him, her temper flaring. “Stop,” she snarled, eyes narrowed to slits as she squinted at him. “Enough already.”

Lewis’s gaze flicked to hers. His chocolate eyes seemed infuriatingly unfazed. “It’s okay, Kate.” He spoke slowly, as if to soothe her, and it only made her lash her tail in frustration. She didn’t feel like being patronized. “I need to take a scale, okay? I know it’s not the most pleasant experience possible, but you know your DNA is no longer stable. It could unravel at any moment. I need to keep an eye on it, and I need fresh samples if I’m going to look into reversing what was done to you.”

A growl bubbled in her throat and her lip curled. She hissed at him through clenched teeth. “Lewis. You. Can’t. Fix. It. Stop trying. I’m not chip in the paint that can be fixed with a fresh coating. Consider the tail a glass figurine that’s shattered, powdered into pieces. You can’t reverse that. You can’t fix it. So back off and leave me the hell alone. I’m tired of feeling like a lab rat.”

A muscle feathered in Lewis’s jaw and he glanced away, returning his equipment to the bag he’d brought it up in. “I’m only trying to help, Katie. I know it’s been a rough two weeks, but we’re all just trying our best.”

Katie snorted and looked away. Her gaze caught Luna’s for half a second. The younger girl’s eyebrows had dipped together, a question sparkling in her gaze, but she didn’t vocalize it. Instead, she pulled on her bottom lip with her teeth and set her puzzle piece down. Katie sighed. She watched Lewis out the corner of her eye as he stood and retreated back out of the apartment. The door pulled shut a little too forcefully behind him, revealing his frustrations.

Katie could still feel Luna’s gaze burning into her. It caused the hairs on the back of her neck to prickle. “What is it, Luna?” she muttered.

“That was not very nice,” Luna whispered in response. “I know you are frustrated and you did not sleep very well last night, but Lewis is not like the scientists. You taught me that. He is the only doctor whom I actually like. He only wants to help. I just think he does not know how, so he is being pushy in the one use he thinks he has.”

“I know,” Katie growled. “But it’s driving me nuts. Every time he’s here, he wants to check my breathing, take pieces of me. He doesn’t hassle you near as much.”

“No,” Luna murmured. “But he cares about you. I am worried. You grow more hostile each day that passes.”

Katie sighed and hung her head. Luna was right. She was right and Katie hated it. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she finally admitted. “I just feel so angry all the time now. It’s not fair, I know. I just…I don’t even know. I don’t know and I feel like we’re at a standstill and it’s stressing me out.”

A soft rumbling noise filled the silence that followed her words as Luna dragged herself across the floor. Her scales produced the sound, catching on the fibers of the carpet. She sat up and laid a hand over Katie’s own. Katie turned her wrist palm up and closed her fingers around Luna’s thinner ones. Her friend gave a gentle squeeze in response. “You do not have to explain it to me. I understand. I feel it to. I just want to forget and everything continues to haunt me. But I am worried about how much it is getting to you.”

A bitter laugh bubbled at Katie’s lips and she finally turned her head to meet Luna’s crystal gaze. A wry smile pulled on her face. “Talk about a role reversal, huh? Isn’t being reassuring and the voice of reason supposed to be my job?”

Luna’s shoulders scrunched up near her jaw as she shrugged. “We all need to be assured sometimes.” The springs in the couch creaked slightly as Luna braced her palms on the cushion and dragged her weight up onto it. She pressed her torso against Katie and the warmth was soothing.

The irritation from earlier fully slipped away by the time Luna rested her chin on Katie’s shoulder. Katie took a deep breath. “Thanks Lu. I don’t know why I’m so irritable lately, but I don’t want to be. I’m going to try not to be as much.”

Luna hummed in agreement but didn’t speak up. The younger Mer’s breathing was steady and soothing, and Katie wondered if she drifted off if the nightmares might be kept at bay for an hour or two. She could really use the nap.

Luna shifted slightly, half on top of her as they stretched on the narrow sofa. Katie picked absently at a loose thread on the arm of the couch.

She only glanced up when the apartment door opened. Sophie stepped through it, locking it behind her as seems to have become a habit lately. The woman’s fiery hair was pulled into a tight bun, only a few stray wisps framing her face. She walked over to the couch and sat on the very edge; Katie and Luna took up most of the space and hadn’t left her much room, and folded her hands between her knees. “I suggested that Lewis might back off just a bit, but I would appreciate if you could refrain from snapping at him in response. He only wants to help. You know he hates seeing you in pain,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” Katie whispered.

“I know. I don’t think you wanted to be nasty. And I know that there’s a lot of high stress and tension right now. Being cooped up probably doesn’t help. I know you don’t like sitting still. And you both have been through far too much, but I need you to try just a little harder to keep a semblance of peace, okay?”

Katie nodded and lowered her head down to rest her chin on her folded forearm. Everything everyone was saying was true. It made sense. She wasn’t sleeping well. Whenever she managed to be nightmare free, Luna’s bad dreams usually roused her. On top of the lack of sleep, being confined mostly to the apartment the past two weeks has been far from pleasant. She itched to move, to do something, and instead felt helpless and trapped, in a constant state of dread. It was doing little to help her bitter mood. She hated feeling like this, no longer wanted to feel this way. “Luna?”

“Hmm?” Luna made a noise in the back of her throat and shifted slightly.

“Don’t fall asleep on me. Maybe I could help you with your puzzle?” she asked.

Luna’s jaws parted in a massive yawn and she smacked her lips before sitting up. Katie shivered slightly as Luna’s body heat vanished. The younger Mer rubbed a fist against her eye and blinked blearily a few times before nodding. “I would like that.” Her scales clicked as she slithered to the floor and hauled herself back over to where the puzzle pieces lay.

Sophie’s hand fell on Katie’s shoulder before she could follow, and she glanced up at her adoptive mother. Sophie looked like the past two weeks had aged her several years. The stress of her supposed death, her reappearance, the changes and threats looming over them, must have weighed on her more than Katie had first thought. Sophie smiled, but it was a weak gesture. Her lips were thin and pursed. “We’re going to figure it out.”

Katie nodded and grasped Sophie’s hand. “I know. And I’m sorry. This hasn’t been easy for anyone, and I’m not making it any easier having a hissy fit over little things.”

“You’ve been through a lot. More than anyone your age, or any age, should ever have to go through. A little bit of misplaced aggression is far from the worst thing I could expect as a result,” Sophie responded. She squeezed Katie’s fingers and then rose from the couch. “Luna, would you like a smoothie?”

Luna’s head shot up from its bowed position over the puzzle pieces. “Mango?” she questioned, a childish eagerness lacing her tone.

Sophie chuckled and nodded. “Sure thing, sweetheart.”

“Thank you.”

Katie slipped off the couch and pulled herself over to Luna, curling up on the carpeted floor to investigate the pieces. The puzzle was a thousand pieces, strewn out on a foam mat easily moved aside as necessary without disrupting the puzzle itself. She glanced at the box. The picture was of a large waterfall tumbling over a mossy cliff, with mist and a rainbow coiling over the lake at the bottom. Luna had already outlined the edge pieces and a few chunks of the body. It looked like she was currently working on part of the ledge to the right of the waterfall, where a gnarled tree grew with overgrown roots stretched toward the water below. “You’re getting good at this,” she commented idly as she picked up a piece out of the box, examined it, and began to scan for a spot it might fit. It looked to be part of the lake. Very little of that was done yet, so she suspected she’d have a bit of work ahead of her.

Luna merely shrugged. She set a piece down and tapped on it to lock it into place. “It is something quiet and simple,” she whispered, her voice so low Katie had to strain slightly to hear it, despite their close proximity and the heightened hearing of the Mer. “It is not performing for a gawking audience or trying to survive the pain, or stressing about one wrong move making everything worse. I can almost forget when I focus on the pieces. Almost. For a time.”

Katie sighed and nodded. She joined two puzzle pieces that fit together but not into the puzzle just yet. “It will get easier.”

“Do you really believe that?” Luna countered softly. She met Katie’s gaze and her eyes were hard with pain and doubt. “I do not feel I will ever be truly free of the horrors.”

Katie swallowed the lump rising in her throat, threatening to choke her. “I feel like that sometimes too. But I have to believe that it will get easier, that the bad dreams will become less frequent, and that we’ll be able to move on. Otherwise, we don’t stand a chance at happiness. And we have to hope for something, don’t we?”

The corner of Luna’s mouth twitched. “Hope hurts. But it is better than feeling empty, I suppose. I have had hope abandon me in the past. I do not like the hollowness left behind. They are still looking for us. I do not believe they will ever truly stop looking. Do you think they will find us?”

“I think we’d be fools not to prepare for the worst,” Katie replied as she fit a piece of the rainbow into place. “So yes, I do think they will find us. Eventually.”

“And what do we do then?” The quake in Luna’s voice had Katie looking up. She wanted desperately to reassure her friend. To take her fears. But false promises and expectations would do them no good now.

“I honestly don’t know.”


	2. Conflict

Riley’s eyes narrowed. Her twitching fins stirred the water as she hovered. Her lips were pursed, body silent and tense. She stared evenly at the cluster before her. They were younger than her, but not by much. Three. Two girls and a boy, each sporting cocky grins, bared their fangs at her.

“Little dangerous to be swimming alone,” the one girl called out. “Especially around here. These are our hunting grounds.”

Riley was silent a moment longer as she scanned them, sizing up the biggest threat. The girl on the left, with coconut brown hair hacked short around her ears was the largest of the three. Her weight could be both an advantage and disadvantage in a fight. Her tail was a deep inky red that looked near black when she shifted it a certain way, and her fluke was thick cartilage. The boy was fidgety, smaller and wiry, Riley decided he was likely a more slippery sort, who might confuse his opponents by twisting around them. Especially with those scales. A faint yellow with flecks of color, they gleamed in the sunlight almost blindingly. But the girl on the right was who Riley focused her attention on. The one who had spoken. She had split fins, and a long torso. Scales wrapped up her sides, leaving very little torso flesh exposed. She’d be hard to hit effectively. Paired with the coat of armor, a long spiny mane travelled her spine in two strips, the webbing between thick and ridged. And she sported two pectorals on her forearms, near her elbows. They were curved to a wicked point that Riley knew from experience with her own could end a fight in moments.

Her fins twitched once more. She did not wish to fight, but she imagined she would not have much choice. These three were out for blood by the looks in their eyes. She had seen groups like this before. Adolescents paired or grouped up, patrolling a patch of ocean and causing problems for anyone trying to swim by. More than a few Mer were seriously injured, sometimes lost their lives to an unruly bunch. Riley tilted her head slightly, a gesture behind her. They had come up from behind and stopped her. “Just passing through.”

“Through _our_ territory,” the boy snarled.

“We do not like strangers,” the larger girl added. “They tend to get hurt.”

Riley grinned. “Surely you are not so threatened by one Mer, now are you? Three against one is hardly a fair fight and yet you three behave as if cornered morays.”

“We are not threatened,” the other girl corrected. Riley suspected she might be leading this rag-tag group. “Annoyed. You are not welcome here. There are consequences.”

“That so?”

In the next moment, the girl had closed the distance and thrust her face into Riley’s. Her hazel eyes were narrowed, and her lip curled with anger. “Yeah. I would not be so relaxed about it. Maybe we will just shred your fins and be on our way. You have swum into a den of predators. So be a good little Mer and plead mercy. Maybe I will consider it. I am sure we could find a use for you.”

Riley snorted. She was never one to back from a challenge and fleeing would get her nowhere in this situation anyways. They would pursue. “You do not wish to scrabble with me, child. Trust me. This time, your prey will fight back. Perhaps more than you are prepared for,” she warned.

The younger Mer growled. She looked about fifteen. A bad age. Too arrogant, without the experience to back it up.

“How long have you been out here, you and your scrappy friends, bullying those on their own or in pairs? I bet none of them fight back too much. You probably pick and choose. Did a bad mood make you stupid today? I am surprised you would take on anyone you did not know you could beat. And trust me, even outnumbered, I can live with my odds. Turn tail. No one needs to get hurt.”

The other Mer snarled; her jaw clenched tightly with rage. “Wrong,” she hissed, jerking her head. “You are going to get hurt.”

The scene exploded then as she tacked Riley. Clenching her teeth, Riley rolled with the impact. She slipped beneath the girl and drove her shoulder into a small, exposed patch of flesh just below her ribcage, before she was face to face with the boy of the group. Her suspicions were correct, he spun round her in tight circles, and she had to squint as the light reflected against his scales.

In the brief moment of weakness, she paid the price as the third member of their party caught her round the middle and squeezed. Riley wheezed. She curled up and jabbed the tip of her tail against the girl’s stomach. Twisting violently as the grip loosened, she managed to catch the flesh of the girl’s face with one of the spiny fins on her forearms. Fighting three on one was never an easy task, and one never walked away unscathed. In the little time it took her to twist free, the boy had clamped his jaws around her shoulder. His fangs sunk deep and Riley gritted her teeth. She wrenched herself free of his grip and spun to slash him dead across the chest. His scales were softer, they parted to her sharp spines, and blood began to flow.

The boy jerked back with a whimper, moving back a few paces to nurse the injury. Riley winced and rolled her shoulder. The muscle had been torn. She could no longer count on that arm as effectively in this fight. And there were still two Mer to go. If the boy decided to stay out for good.

The larger girl growled and lunged. Riley hissed in return, showing her own fangs. She copied the boy and let her teeth find their mark in the girl’s shoulder. The girl cried out and smashed her palm against Riley’s face. The foul taste of blood filled Riley’s mouth to mix with the flavor of the other girl’s flesh. Feeling dizzy, Riley released the girl and shook her head. She had to act quickly, so she curled her fingers into a tight fist and connected with the Mer’s chin. Her head snapped back and she dropped, giving Riley just a moment to breathe. She turned to face her final opponent, breathing heavily now, and found herself face to face with the leader. Her guard had been down, she hadn’t noticed her get so close. She paid for the error. Nearly chest to chest, the other girl grinned and drove a pectoral up into Riley’s midriff. A pained gurgle left her lips as it drove home through the twisted knot of skin near her hip. She growled. “That just healed, you rotten little slug,” she wheezed, spitting out blood into the girl’s face.

Another shriek of rage ripped from the teen’s lips and she grabbed Riley’s shoulder to hold her still and drove her fin deeper. Riley coughed. There was not much pain; she knew she was in shock, and very much in trouble. Her vision was going fuzzy, but she lashed out with her own spines at the other girl, but she didn’t make contact. “I warned you,” the girl hissed in Riley’s face. “You should have just rolled over. We may have let you live then.”

The girl ripped her pectoral out and aimed to stab again, but the blow never came, and Riley sunk to the sand. She looked up to see another Mer grappling with her attacker.

He had her in a headlock, her arms pinned by his free arm as he pressed her gills shut and squeezed. The girl thrashed in his grasp, snarling and twisting as she tried to get free, but with her gills closed, she soon slumped into unconsciousness. Riley watched the male drop the girl, and then he was hovering over her. “Are you alright?” he asked as he pulled her up. His expression told her everything she needed to know. Glancing down, she got a good look at the torn flesh and plumes of blood flooding from it. “You need help.”

“Was fine,” Riley muttered. “Had it under control.”

“Clearly,” the boy countered. He draped her arm over his shoulder and began swimming in the direction Riley was headed. “We need to find a healer. Hopefully they can do something.” The adrenaline was beginning to fade, and now the pain was sharp in Riley’s side. She tried to help him swim but after a moment, her muscles went slack. She was losing too much blood and lost it faster when she moved.

She shook her head. “Healer cannot help. Too much damage. Need Lewis. Go that way,” she slurred, pointing along the coast.

The boy turned in the direction without questioning her choice. It was silent for a few minutes, and Riley had time to reflect on her situation. She began to wonder if her luck had finally run out. “What is your name?” the boy asked.

“Riley,” she breathed back. Talking was becoming difficult.

“Torren,” he responded. “Hang on, alright? What am I looking for?”

“Coastline. Large tunnel, like big pipe.”

“Human stuff? Why do you want to go there?”

“Have to get to Lewis. Lewis can help...maybe. He is going to be furious. Sophie…never going…let me leave…again. Got me good.” The boy’s speed picked up. She imagined he was concerned. “Do not have to help. You did enough. Did not thank.”

“You cannot swim. If I leave you now, you will bleed out. What do I do when I find this tunnel of yours?”

“Swim up it. Safe. Do not worry. No one will hurt us.”

It was a few long minutes of silence. Riley was beginning to see double. Some fuzzy part of her brain remembered that pressure was important. She pressed her free hand to the injury, gritting her teeth against the pain, and folded her gliders over it to try and staunch some of the bleeding.

Torren turned as he approached the entrance Riley had been headed towards. One powerful flick of his fin and they were inside. There was just enough room for two to swim side by side, not that Riley was much help on the swimming part. When her head broke the water, her heart sunk. The room was empty, and she questioned her ability to get up into the wheelchair, much less all the way up to the apartment. She could only hope she’d run into someone she could trust along the way.

“What now?” Torren asked as he glanced around the room. Riley could sense his nerves. She did not blame him for his unease. Mer and humans did not really have much contact for a reason.

Riley shook her head and braced her palms on the edge, hauling herself out of the water. Blood spattered everywhere and she cried out, slumping onto her side. “Need Lewis. Have to get in chair,” she muttered.

Torren growled something under his breath and pulled himself out of the water. His tail slid under the wheelchair to steady it and then he helped haul her into it. “It lets you move around on land?”

Riley nodded. “Yes. You can go. I will be alright. They will help. Thank you.”

Torren shook his head. “Stop trying to get rid of me. I will stay until you are safe. You should not have been out alone like that.” He stretched up and grabbed the back handles of the chair. “How do you move this thing?”

Riley shivered, feeling very cold. She curled her gliders tighter and grabbed the wheels with both hands. Thankfully, all the doors in the center were wheelchair accessible, so she pushed the button to open the door. Torren was helping, shoving his tail against the floor to help propel them forward. Riley knew it was dangerous. They could be seen. But she had little choice, so she pushed on to the elevator. At least the apartments were in this building.

Torren didn’t comment, but she caught sight of his widened gaze as the elevator doors slid open and she pushed herself inside. Smacking her finger against the button for the fourth floor, Riley then slumped. She really did not feel well now. “If I pass out,” she murmured. “Turn right when the doors open, go to the end of the hall. Door there.” _Hopefully it is unlocked. Hopefully Sophie is home,_ she added to herself, but she did not vocalize those thoughts.

“Try to stay awake. You have a better chance. Put more pressure on. I will get us there,” he said. The elevator dinged loudly and then they were moving again. When they reached the door, Riley reached out and turned the handle, pushed the door open weakly.

Sophie was there, right away, her eyes narrowed with concern. They widened instantly in shock and Riley forced a small smile. The world was spinning. “Sophie…I sorry. I need…little help…please,” she forced out the last few words before her spinning vision clouded over. She heard Sophie call her name, felt herself fall from the chair, but she no longer had the energy to fight back unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Riley, when are you going to stop getting into trouble?


	3. Medical Attention

Sophie frowned as she heard the squeaky door handle turn. Luna was sipping happily on a smoothie while she and Katie hovered over the puzzle.

She turned in time to see the door swing open and what she saw immediately set her on high alert. Riley, her tail completely exposed, sat swaying in her wheelchair. There was a massive bruise across the side of her face, blackening her eye, and blood dribbled down the corner of her lip. That wasn’t the biggest concern. Instead, what caught Sophie’s eye was the blood oozing from beneath her gliders, tightly folded over her body. It flowed down her sandy scales, coloring them a deep ruby.

“Sophie…I am sorry. I need…a little help…please,” Riley’s voice was faint, pained, and a little slurred. Sophie saw her falter and had to lurch around the table to catch her as she fell out of the chair. Riley coughed, her eyes rolling back. Sophie got a good look at the devastating stab wound in her abdomen. Right through the previous scar. Sophie sucked in a breath. She snatched the phone off the table and began dialing.

Two rings and then an answer. “Hey Soph, what’s up?”

“Prep for surgery,” she responded, feeling her heart thumping frantically in her chest. “I’m heading down to you. It’s Riley.” She hung up and began scooping the injured girl up into her arms. It was then that she finally noticed the other Mer. A boy. He looked a few years older. “Who are you?” she inquired.

The Mer stared her down a moment. “Torren,” he replied finally. He offered up no further statements and Sophie decided that stories could be exchanged later.

“Are you injured?”

Torren shook his head. “Nothing serious. Worry about her.”

Sophie spun the wheelchair around and nodded to it. “Come with us. Use that if you can,” she instructed, not willing to leave the other girls alone with this Mer she knew nothing about.

Thankfully, he didn’t argue, and after a moment, he was wheeling it back down the hallway towards the elevator. Sophie hurried after him. “Hang in there Riley,” she whispered as she rushed the injured Mer down to Lewis.

Lewis was in his office when Sophie made her way down. She brushed past him in order to lay Riley out on the cot he’d set up. Her shirt was soaked through with blood. “What happened?” Lewis demanded.

Sophie shook her head as she stepped away. “I don’t know. It looks like she was stabbed.”

Riley moaned softly, her gaze fluttering. Lewis moved beside her and gently peeled away her gliders. “Soph, can you put pressure on this?” The request was strained and spurred Sophie into action. Soaking a cloth in lukewarm water, she folded the fabric in half and pressed it to Riley’s torso, over the flaps of punctured flesh. She kept firm pressure on the gaping wound, her teeth grit with worry. There was a lot of blood. Too much. The thick towel was already beginning to soak through.

A low moan ghosted past Riley’s lips and she stirred slightly, the pain clearly rousing her. Ice blue eyes slit open slowly and fixated on Sophie, but the woman suspected Riley wasn’t totally conscious, because there was no recognition in the Mer’s gaze. After a moment, Riley’s eyes rolled back, and her eyelids slid shut as she fell limp again.

Lewis had administered an I.V. into her hand, and now practically shoved Sophie out of the way in order to begin working on his patient. To avoid feeling useless, Sophie turned towards the unknown Mer still sitting in Riley’s discarded wheelchair.

“Are you injured?” she asked again as she crouched down in front of him. The boy sported a dusty, brownish red thatch of hair. The long strands fell in his eyes. Most of it was slicked with water, plastered to his neck, but a few drying strands stuck out in wayward directions. His skin was tanned and speckled with dark brown tones. The scales that coated his tail were a deep red, like an inky pool of blood. They didn’t end at his waistline either, but instead stretched up his sides, near to his ribs before finally giving way to skin. His shoulders were bare, but scales coated his arms from the elbow down, like long, fingerless gloves. He looked a few years Riley’s elder, but not by much.

He shrugged at her question. “You worry more about her. She in poor state.” He spoke slowly, picking each word a few seconds apart and Sophie began to wonder if perhaps he was new to the language.

Sophie nodded. “I know. And Lewis is going to do everything he can. But you and I aren’t much help right now. I can, however, see to less serious injuries and there’s no sense letting things become critical. That just creates more work for Lewis.”

There was a moment’s pause, then the boy sighed and lifted one arm. There was a series of small punctures down the flesh part of his arm and along one side where the scales didn’t cover. “Should not have grabbed from behind,” he muttered vaguely.

Sophie frowned but didn’t respond right away. Instead, she leaned closer for a better look. “Most of these are shallow. They’ll need to be cleaned, and one or two might need a few stitches, but you should be alright. What did this?”

It only took a moment to find some disinfectant in Lewis’s cupboard. Soaking the corner of a cloth with it, Sophie knelt back down and began to dab over one of the puncture wounds. The Mer sucked in a sharp breath, his lip curling, but did not move or protest. “A quib is responsible. Small group of Mer. Usually younger, strike out on own, wishing to prove their competence. It is meant a right of passage in some pods. Mostly it has become excuse to bully and maim any travelling alone.”

“Another Mer did all of this?” Sophie muttered.

“Three of them,” Torren corrected. “I caught the end bit of the tussle. She handled them well enough on her own, but the one got better of her in the end.”

Sophie glanced up at the operating table. Lewis was blocking most of her view, but one of Riley’s arms dangled over the edge, fingers hanging limply, coated in drying blood. She sighed. Her heart was taunt with worry, but distracting Lewis would be a bad move. She jerked her head towards the wheelchair. “Lewis is going to need space to work. I’ll take you back upstairs and finish up with these punctures.”

Katie and Luna were perched on the sofa when Sophie got back to the apartment. Both watched the door with widened eyes. In the chaos, she’d almost forgotten how startling a scene it must have been. There was a sodden, red tinged towel on the floor accompanied by some smears lingering on the tile. An attempt to clean some of the blood that spilled over the floor when Riley had first entered.

Wordlessly, Sophie pushed the wheelchair into the living room and helped Torren onto the other couch. “Lay out on your back. Let me have another look,” she instructed.

The springs on the couch creaked slightly as he complied. “What a strange texture,” he murmured as he pinched at the couch cushions. Sophie took a seat on the edge and continued cleaning out the small wounds. The rubbing alcohol had to sting, but the Mer barely made a sound about it.

“You are Mer,” Luna breathed. She’d leaned so far forward on the other couch that Sophie was a little amazed she hadn’t toppled over.

Torren glanced over at the two then, one eyebrow raising. “Indeed. As are you. I did not know so many were drawn to this human den.” He seemed to be speaking more comfortably now. His attention shifted to Katie and a frown twitched on his lips. “She is Mer, but what are you? You look the part, but you are not one of us.”

The tone was almost icy and Sophie paused in her actions. Katie pulled back a little. “What do you mean?”

Torren was silent for a moment. He pursed his lips and shrugged. “There is something off about you. I cannot quite place what it is.” He tensed slightly as Sophie passed her cloth over one of his deeper puncture wounds.

“Sorry,” she said as she began to dab a little more gently. “Torren, Katie’s story is a bit of a long one. You might be sensing something off about her because she wasn’t exactly raised a Mer.” She set the cloth aside, satisfied that she’d gotten to each nick along his flesh. “I think these are okay without any stitches. But one or two are going to need to be covered. I have a roll of bandages in the bathroom. I’ll be back in a moment.”

She’d been crouched down longer than she thought and her knees creaked with protest as she forced herself upright.

Voices floated down the hall as she made her way to the bathroom. “Another Mer. You live out in the ocean. It has been so long. What is it like? Where do you sleep and what do you eat? Are you from a pod? What are they like? Do you live close to here?” Sophie smiled softly at the jumble of questions that tumbled from Luna’s lips. The girl was barely giving herself time to breathe between inquiries, much less give Torren a chance to answer.

Returning with the bandages, Sophie found that Torren did look a little overwhelmed, and Luna was leaned even closer to him over the edge of the couch. She placed a hand on the youngest Mer’s shoulder. “Luna, maybe slow down on the questions for now, okay? There’s a lot going on. I’m sure there will be plenty of time later for you to talk to Torren, okay?”

Luna’s smile slipped instantly, her posture slouching, and she slowly sat back again. “Okay,” she agreed.

Her crestfallen tone made Sophie wince. “I know you’re excited to meet one of your people, Luna, but let’s take it one step at a time. Right now, we’ve got some pressing things going on. When there’s been time to breathe, I’m sure Torren will tell us his story.”

Torren nodded and the tips of his fin twitched lazily as he shifted to a bit more comfortable a position. “I am becoming increasingly more interested in yours,” he declared.

“Lift your arm,” Sophie instructed. When he complied, she began to wrap the bandages around the worst of the lesions. “There. That should do it.”

Torren lowered his arm and then dipped his head at her, but said nothing. She chuckled. Mer. So far, the personalities were so diverse and yet so similar at the same time. Now that her immediate list of tasks was finished, worry began to claw at Sophie’s heart. She rose only to sink down into her armchair with a sigh. The waiting game was never pleasant.

“Mom?”

Sophie’s head lurched up from it’s bowed position. Katie had started calling her that when she got back. Before, it had been almost a term of endearment in high emotion settings, but was now used more common place.

Katie’s eyes glisten more brown than green at the moment, concern clouding the irises. “Are you okay? Was that…”

Sophie sucked in a breath. “Yeah. It was.”

Katie blinked slowly. “We are okay up here, if you want to go down.”

A smile worked slightly at the corners of her lips and she shook her head. “I’d only be in the way down there. Best to keep out of Lewis’s hair for now.”

Torren’s eyebrows had dipped down to knot together above his nose. He glanced between the two and shook his head. “Your story grows more interesting still. You were raised here, I imagine, by humans. That might explain what is off about you.”

The statement was directed at Katie, who promptly burst into a fit of giggles so violent that Luna jerked with surprise and stared at Katie with a cocked head. “Buddy, until a few months ago, I _was_ human. How’s that for a plot thickener?” It would be heartwarming to see Katie joke a little about it, if it weren’t for the slight strangle in her voice as she made the statement. No one else seemed to pick up on it, however, so Sophie chose to remain silent about it for now.

“Were human? I do not understand.” Torren frowned.

“It’s a long story. A depressing one. Let’s not get into it now. But that’s probably what it is that seems to be bugging you about me. I’m not a natural born Mer.”

“That would definitely explain a few inconsistencies. I would like to hear more about this history of yours. It seems impossible.”

“Torren?” Luna ventured cautiously. She chewed her lip. “Are you going to stay a while?”

Once again, Torren’s fin began to twitched faintly. He was silent for a moment, as if mulling the concept over. “I will linger a little while. There is much out of the ordinary going on and I would observe some of it. But for how long, I cannot yet say.”

Even the nod of her head oozed disappointment, but Luna didn’t protest. “Do you think…perhaps that…would you be willing to teach me a little while you are here? Katie too if she wishes. I have been away from the ocean for so long. I do not remember my pod, my history, or much of my past. I wish to know who I am, what I am a part of. I want to learn to be Mer again.” Luna’s lip trembled and she bit it, her eyes massive and glistening as she poses her request.

Sophie’s heart went out to the girl. None of this had been easy on either of them, but Luna struggled with so much. The weight of not knowing must have been crushing her slowly. Despite the nightmares, the trauma, the uncertainty, the child still managed to smile and Sophie desperately hoped that perhaps this Mer could help her connect with her past a little.

“It is a sad fate for one so young. I imagine you have quite the tale to tell as well. I do not know if I am the right to teach you. I was born far from here, where customs are very different. But if there is knowledge I can impart that will be of use, I am more than happy to provide it. For now, the hour grows later and I would feel far more comfortable out in the waters for the night.” Torren turned to face Sophie. “I do not know if I can find my way back to where I came in. I would ask assistance back. I will return on the dawn if allowed.”

“Of course,” Sophie agreed. “I can show you back down.”


	4. Deja Vu

Waking brought waves of pain and dizziness, and Riley simply stared up for a long while. Above her, just a stretch of solid white broken only by harsh lights that made her squint. It took a few moments for her to remember what happened and where she was. She sighed heavily and finally peeled her gaze away from the ceiling. As she turned her head, she found herself face to face in an all too familiar way, with Sophie. “Hey.” Though the word was probably spoken normally, it slammed in Riley’s head as if it had been shouted and she winced. A headache pounded behind her temples like she’d smacked herself against a rock wall. “Sorry.” Sophie’s voice was softer this time, more manageable. “You gave us quite the scare. How are you feeling?”

“Like I was chewed up and spat back out,” Riley grumbled, bringing a hand up to shade her gaze from the harsh lighting in the office. “This feels familiar.”

“Yes, it does. Not a scene I’d hoped to reenact.”

“Me either,” Riley agreed. “How long am I trapped here this time?” She sagged into the cot. Last time was terrible and she had no desire to do it again.

“Not as long,” Sophie replied with a shake of her head. She reached out and tucked a lock of Riley’s hair back behind her ear. “A few days to let things start to heal, and then you can come upstairs. You should probably avoid swimming for a week to keep the stitches dry, and anything strenuous for two weeks after that, maybe more, but you won’t be immobile like last time.”

Riley nodded. A few days was not pleasant, she would rather be told she could get up and move immediately, but it was worlds better than a few weeks condemned to lie in one place. “Could be worse,” she relented.

The woman seated beside her rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You are going to be the death of me, Riley,” she groaned. “I hear you put up quite the fight.”

A faint grin twitched on Riley’s lips. She nodded down at her bandage wrapped abdomen. “It was a lucky blow. I would have won the fight in the end otherwise. I did not start it though,” she sighed. “I will admit to enjoying sparring, but a fight like that, where lives are at risk…there is nothing satisfying about that.”

“No, I don’t imagine that there is. I’m just glad that you’re safe now. How are you feeling? Would you like to sit up?”

“I was not sure I was allowed. You were very insistent on minimal movement last time.”

Sophie chuckled softly and it made Riley smile. She had found more of a mother figure in Sophie than she ever had with her own, and deeply enjoyed any time spent. Though she would never admit the depth of what it meant to her. “Last time, you had broken ribs, a shattered hip bone, and a gaping hole in your side. Now don’t get me wrong, you’re definitely badly injured, but so long as you avoid any rapid or strenuous actions, you’re okay to move. Just take it slow. Do you want a hand?”

“No. Let me try first,” Riley decided. She pressed her palms flat against the cot and slowly pushed herself upright on quaking arms. She grit her teeth against the jolts of pain that shot through her body. The sharp tang of blood coated her tongue as she bit her lip a little too hard. Sophie’s fingers were cool against her back as her hands slid up Riley’s spine, helping her upright. “Thank you,” she panted when she was finally situated.

Now that she was up, Riley got a better look at the damage. Her abdomen was wrapped in bandages. There was a faintly pinkish tinge to them and she winced. Each breath brought a tension in her side. A resistance of sorts, but she could not bring herself to touch the area.

“Are you okay?” Sophie inquired. Riley’s head jerked up to meet the woman’s gaze. Her kelp green eyes were wide, her eyebrows scrunched to mimic the concern in her voice.

Slowly, Riley nodded. She licked her lips. “Yes. It hurts, but not too badly. But it feels like it is pulling a little, whenever I breathe. I do not understand why.”

“It’s the stitches, kiddo. It’s probably going to feel like that for a bit while everything heals.”

“Stitches?” Riley echoed, a frown tugging at the corners of her lips. “What are those?”

“A special thread is used to tie the skin together, to keep a wound from bleeding while it begins to heal,” Sophie explained.

A shudder ran up Riley’s spine. Her eyes closed for a moment. A likeness rose in her mind. Sometimes her aunt would do something similar if an injury required it. She’d pinch the flesh and push an urchin spine through it to hold it as close together as possible. Riley had both witnessed and experienced it being done, and both times, Riley’s head had spun and her stomach had flipped like she had eaten bad fish.

Air whistled through her nose as she took a deep breath. She did not want to think about it. “I will have to thank Lewis. He has saved my life twice now.”

“You certainly keep us on our toes,” Sophie agreed. “But I won’t lie, it’s hard not to be proud of you.”

“Proud of me?” Riley quirked an eyebrow. “I was expecting a lecture about being more cautious and not getting into trouble.”

Sophie sighed softly and shook her head. “Doesn’t sound like you went looking for trouble at all, Riley, and you held your own against unfair odds. I’ve heard it was quite the fight. I don’t like the idea that you had to take part or that you were injured and in so much danger, but I’m still proud.”

Riley looked away to hide the fact that her throat was closing. Once again, Sophie was the root of a surge of emotion. A knot of both pleasant and unpleasant feelings that felt like it was trying to choke the life out of her. It had been a long time since anyone had told her they were proud. Her aunt had been the last, and it was years ago. “What happened to Torren? He is the Mer that helped finish the fight. I owe him my thanks as well.”

“He went back to the water for the night. Said he’d come back in the morning,” Sophie replied. “It’s still pretty late right now” It was then that Riley finally noticed the signs. There were no windows to know that it was dark outside, but Sophie’s voice had a hint of exhaustion to it and the lines beneath her eyes were beginning to darken.

Riley chewed at her lip. “You did not have to wait down here. Why did you not go to sleep?”

Sophie’s hand extended to tuck some of Riley’s hair behind her ear. Her hair wasn’t really in her face, but she’d come to recognize it as a gesture of affection with Sophie. The woman shook her head. “Did you really think I’d let you wake up alone in the dark? After the day you’ve had? I’m good right here.”

Riley quirked an eyebrow as she eyed the small chair Sophie was perched on. It looked far from a comfortable place to rest, especially in that sort of upright position. “I will be okay,” she protested.

“I know,” Sophie agreed, though she made no move to actually get up.

Riley sighed and rolled her eyes. “Sophie,” she groaned.

“Riley,” Sophie countered. “The more you complain about it, the longer you keep us both awake. Get some sleep, okay? You need the rest.”

“I think I am going to get a lot more of that than I need…again,” Riley groaned. She chose not to resist the recommendation, however. She was feeling very heavy, and her headache had subsided to a dull buzzing. She moved sluggishly, a starfish pace, as she lowered herself back down. Each movement tugged more at the stitches she had no wish to see. Her cheeks were warmed by time she managed to settle into a reclined position, curled on her good side. She hated feeling this helpless, yet again.

She was faced away from Sophie, which felt rude, but she could not lay on her other hip. The chair squealed a little as it shifted on the floor and Sophie’s shadow fell over her. Warmth settled over her form and she sighed softly. The blanket tangled in her fins, pulled at them, but she did not truly mind; there was a sense of security that came with the heat and weight of a blanket. It was one of the things she truly enjoyed about the world above the surface. Her lips split into a wide yawn and there was a strange experience of almost sinking into the bed. If Sophie said or did anything else, she failed to notice as she drifted deeper into the depths of slumber.

Snapping awake was a little like a jolt from an electric eel. All her senses and nerves jerked to attention all at once. Her eyes snapped open and she inhaled a little too deeply, making her wince. Whatever medication Lewis had given her last night was wearing off rather rapidly.

“Careful,” he cautioned. She attention flitted up to him.

She groaned. “Do not sneak up!”

Lewis chuckled and she scowled at him in response. “You’re usually awake before I have the door all the way open. I wasn’t trying to startle you.”

Riley sighed. It was really her own fault. She’d honed herself into her jumpy nature. Still, an excuse to harass Lewis was always enjoyable. “You had better have something to make up for it,” she grumbled.

“Breakfast?” Lewis offered.

That brought the grumping to an abrupt halt. “That sounds good,” she conceded.

That earned a grin. Lewis’s teeth always shone impressively against his darker complexion. It brought a small smile to her own lips. “I have to redress those bandages first. You stay still and silent while I do so; then we’ll talk food.”

Riley rolled her shoulder back to keep her arm well out of his way, then pointedly averted her gaze. It was not so much that she could not handle the sight of injury, but seeing her own flesh warped and forcibly held together with a foreign substance made her stomach tighten and flip. She listened to the snip of the scissors, felt the tugging as Lewis pulled bandages away from her skin. He dabbed a soaked cloth over the wound and, while it stung, her flesh drank the moisture. It felt good. She was fine to be out of the water, but the room felt exceptionally dry. “Could you leave that there for a moment?” she requested. “It feels good.”

“Let me get these bandages changed and then I’ll see about something larger than a medical rag, okay?”

“Mhm.”

A few moments later, a sopping towel was draped over her head and shoulders, and she felt oceans better. The pain was receding thanks to the medication Lewis gave her, the bandages reapplied snuggly, and while the cot was not exactly comfortable, she was content.

“Riley, are you okay?” The concern was thick in Sophie’s voice. Riley nodded her head and flicked her tailfins, but otherwise remained still. She was not ready to move yet.

“It’s dry in here,” Lewis said. “Between that and the meds, I think she’s just lethargic.”

“And hungry,” Riley added.

“Well, you’ll have to sit up and take the towel off your head to eat. Come on, nothing gourmet at the moment, but I have fish.”

Riley pushed herself up slowly, letting the towel slip off into her lap. Sophie’s hair was pulled up off her face and she was dressed in a long slip the color of the sky. Riley remember Sophie referring to it as a lounge dress. Her attire didn’t hold Riley’s attention long, however. There was a bag in Sophie’s hands. One with chunks of fish in it. There must have been an eager expression on her face, because Sophie shook her head, shoulders shaking slightly, and she passed off the bag. Riley’s fingers were stained within seconds as she tore the plastic seal open and reached for the first piece. It was raw and tender. She enjoyed exploring the cooked varieties Sophie often offered her but being raised in the waters made fish in its natural state the superior comfort food.

“You have an appetite,” Sophie observed. “Good. You didn’t last time; not for a few days.”

Riley swiped her tongue over her teeth, pausing in her meal long enough to dip her head at the woman. “Last time was worse,” she agreed. She scooped another cut of fish into her mouth, enjoying the way the tart, salty flesh oozed between her teeth. She fished around in the bag for another piece. Her stomach gurgled appreciatively as the meat slid easily down her throat. It had helped to rouse her from her stupor, though her scales still itched tediously. She longed for the cool embrace of the water. It was entering the human’s dry season, she knew. Where the air hung heavy in lungs, and the Mer stayed deeper to ward off the scald of heated waters. The sun could be cruel this time of the cycle. Sophie had only just sunk down onto her chair from earlier when a new sound grabbed Riley’s attention away. It was soft creaking noise, like the squeak the wheel of her wheelchair made. Riley’s eyes narrowed and she slowly lowered the bag of fish beside her. The scent on the other side of the door tingled in her nose. This was not someone she’d met before, but it also rang with slight familiarity, as if she’d happened across a stale form in the past.

“Riley? Everything alright?” Sophie asked. Her head turned, though Riley noted the wrinkled lines of confusion on her brow. The moment the door handle jiggled and began to turn, however, Sophie was up out of her chair and practically contorting her body in front of her. Riley rolled her eyes at the thought that Sophie was going to conceal her. It was a poor attempt regardless. The door swung open and Riley tensed. She was injured, but everyone who knew about her was already in the room. Lewis coughed softly, made his way around too.

The head that poked through the gap belonged to a girl. She looked about Riley’s age, with golden-brown skin, like moist sand on the seabed, and sun-stained brunette hair woven to hang over her shoulder. Hazel eyes were peaked with curiosity. Beside Riley, Sophie sagged with relief.


	5. Meet and Greet

The looks of hardened concern melted off Sophie and Lewis’s faces as Katie poked her head through the open doorway. They both seemed to relax. “Sorry to interrupt,” she murmured.

Sophie shook her head. “Is something wrong, what are you doing down here?”

Katie sighed and shook her head. “Luna is lying down. She wasn’t feeling too well earlier. She knows I’m gone, but frankly she’s exhausted. I just…couldn’t sit in silence anymore, I feel like I’m going crazy.” She shrugged and gave the wheels a gentle shove to guide herself better into the room. “I thought I’d come down and see what was going on, if I could help with anything maybe.”

Lewis hastened over to her and pushed the wheelchair the rest of the way inside and closed the door. Katie took a deep breath and shoved her annoyance away at his cautious actions. It was early, the chances of anyone seeing her were slim, but she wasn’t truly cross with the man, just frustrated with the trappings of her new life.

“Introductions maybe?” a new voice inquired. Katie’s gaze snapped to the cot set up in the room. The girl sitting on it had lightly tanned skin and long blonde hair. It rolled down her back like drizzling honey, spilling over her shoulders. She had brightly colored bangs cupping her chin to match the vivid tailfins that hung over the edge of the bed. Two smaller fins, not one fluke like Katie and Luna both had. It peaked the girl’s curiosity.

She rolled the wheelchair closer until she was beside the medical cot. It came up almost to her shoulder, but she reached up a hand towards the other Mer. “Riley, I presume? My name’s Katie.”

Ice blue eyes blinked slowly as the girl stared in confusion at Katie’s hand, so she lowered it slightly awkwardly. “Katie,” she repeated, clearly mulling the name over. “That is familiar…was that not the name of your…?” she trailed off, her attention on Sophie. Katie turned to look as well. Sophie was slightly tense, her shoulder’s hunched, and the bags under her eyes were dark and puffy. Katie’s heart clenched. She hated seeing Sophie so run down. The last few weeks had been overwhelming on everyone.

“Daughter?” Sophie supplies the final word to the injured Mer’s inquiry. “Yes.”

“It’s a long story,” Katie adds with a shrug.

“A human girl back from death as a Mer?” she raised an eyebrow. “Sounds more like a tale to lull Merlings to sleep.”

Katie was silent for a moment as she regarded the new Mer, then began to chuckle. “I suppose it could sound a little like a fairytale when put like that; but it’s not exactly an overly happy story,” she replied dryly.

Riley’s head dipped forward, her icy irises blinking slowly. “Most stories rarely are,” she agreed. Katie expected a slew of questions to follow, but Riley merely shifted her fins a little and folded her arms in front of her as she retained eye contact with an expression that spoke volumes. She was fine to take in any details Katie might choose to offer up, but would not pry uninvited. Katie smiled, deciding that she liked this quirky Mer and appreciated the mutual acceptance of space and privacy.

“I’ve been waiting for a chance to meet you,” Katie admitted finally, breaking the few moments of awkward silence that had stretched prior.

“Oh?” One of Riley’s slender eyebrows quirked up.

Katie nodded. “For a couple of reasons; I do have an interest in knowing more about your people, your culture. I’m not born or bred obviously, so I know very little of what it means to be Mer, besides having the tail, that is. But more importantly; we kind of need your help. You see, there’s another-” Katie faltered as Sophie laid a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at her mother and frowned when Sophie merely shook her head.

“That’s a conversation for later, okay?” she interrupted. Katie wanted to argue, but ultimately decided against it and simply nodded. “What I really want to know, is how we were caught this off-guard,” Sophie continued. “Shouldn’t Riley’s chip have warned us the second she became stressed in the fight? We’re very lucky Torren was around to help.”

“I was thinking about that,” Lewis agreed. “I was looking at some of the data last night; it looks like her chip shorted out. The data feed stopped streaming three days ago.”

“That may have been my fault,” Riley responded, her tone more subdued, almost sheepish. She brought a hand up to rub at the back of her neck, then winced as the stretch seemed to bring her pain, and lowered her arm. “I may have gotten slammed against some rocks surfing a current a few days ago, jarred my shoulder pretty good. Maybe the blunt force had something to do with it?”

“There’s a strong possibility. It will have to be replaced then; meantime, I’ll look into some sort of protective buffer so that it isn’t so easily damaged.”

Riley shrugged. “If you must, but if we have to continue discussing this stuff, I insist on some entertainment; I want to play chess,” she decided.

“Oh no,” Sophie protested. She moved a few steps closer and waved a finger. “We’re not starting that again; you need to rest and chess is clearly too exciting for you not to get worked up.”

Riley snorted and flicked her fins. The motion stole a chuckle from Katie; she knew well enough that the motion was very much like the twitch of a cat’s tail and betrayed the Mer’s annoyance. “I will not get worked up,” Riley countered evenly as her fins curled back up. “I simply wish to pass the time with something more enjoyable than staring at the walls.”

Katie cocked her head at Sophie’s sharp intake of breath, not quite understanding the apparent reluctance. “I’ll play with her; I don’t mind a friendly game of chess now and again either.”

“You do not want to go down that rabbit hole,” Sophie warned with a shake of her head. Her piercing green eyes shone with a playful warning and she ran a hand through her short wavy locks that she’d cut a few days prior, as she often did before the heat got too intense.

“What do you mean?” Katie inquired. “What rabbit hole?”

“Twenty games from now, you’ll have your answer,” Lewis intervened. “Once you start with this one, you’re not allowed to stop.”

“Oh,” Katie chuckled at the same time Riley snorted again, one lip curling up as air whistled between her teeth. The Mer’s icy blue eyes narrowed and she muttered something under her breath, which only made Katie laugh harder. Lewis’s claim didn’t surprise her much, based on the other girl’s reaction. Katie started when a hand was laid on her shoulder, the fingers gently squeezing the muscle there to gain her attention.

She tilted her head back to meet Sophie’s gaze again, noted her adoptive mother’s pursed lips, the dark circles beneath her eyes and creases on her forehead that indicated the prolonged stress she’d been under. “I reckon it’s time you went back upstairs,” she advised in a tender, tired tone. “I’m not comfortable with Luna being left alone this long.” The ‘or you being down here’ went unsaid, but Katie heard it nonetheless. Sophie wasn’t intentionally keeping them cooped up and Katie knew it was crucial to stay hidden, but she was beginning to go a little stir crazy in the apartment.

She sighed and tucked her head for a moment, wringing her fingers until the joints popped. “Okay,” she sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”

Seeming to notice the hesitation, Sophie patted her shoulder, rubbing her thumb over the flesh in an unspoken apology that Katie was almost grateful for. “I’ll escort you back,” she offered before her gaze tilted up to the Mer lying on the medical cot. “You need to eat a little more and then get some rest; and don’t stir up a fuss for Lewis. The faster you heal, the sooner you can join us upstairs and gain some mobility back.”

“Fine,” Riley sighed with a groan and she dropped her head down onto the cot for a moment, then sat back up and dragged a little baggy of fish slices closer to her, plucking some of the shaved flesh from the bloody juice it was soaking in.

“It was nice to meet you, Riley,” Katie ventured, offering the other Mer a wave before spinning her wheelchair around. She didn’t get far before Sophie was behind her, holding the handles and pushing the chair towards the door.

Before they turned the corner, Katie caught Riley’s lowered voice as she spoke to Lewis. “Will you play chess with me?”

Lewis’s dramatic sigh had Katie giggling down the hall. “She’s different,” she said. “A little intense.”

“Yes,” Sophie agreed. “She can be a handful; but so can you.”

“Well, I think I like her,” Katie decided with a shrug. Her hands came up to pull the elastic in her hair free, her fingers deftly unraveling the braid she’d put in the night prior. Her hair was crimped from being held so tight for several hours, but Katie merely ran her fingers through it a few times, then began to braid it back again. “What happened to her, anyways?”

“She was in a fight,” Sophie replied. “More a three on one gang up. Apparently she held her own pretty well, according to Torren, who only caught the tail end of the skirmish.”

“She was in a fight with other Mer?” Katie asked, seeking clarification and trying to imagine what sort of battle possibly took place out at sea. It twisted her gut to consider that perhaps not all Mer got on decently with their own kind. Sure, humanity had the same problem everywhere, all the time, but picturing a battle of teeth and tails seemed far more barbaric and intimidating.

“Yes,” Sophie confirmed. “I didn’t realize it was a problem until now, but apparently small groups of adolescents aren’t uncommon, striking out to find their place in the world and test their skills. It’s also not unheard of for some of these groups to go rogue and attack passersby without warning. Riley managed to handle two of the three that attacked her, but the third got the jump and stabbed her in the abdomen with spiky fins seemingly not dissimilar to Riley’s own. She’s very lucky that she was so close to the park and that Torren was there to end the fight or she very well may have bled out in the water.” Sophie’s voice was tense by time she finished speaking and Katie frowned.

It was a scary thought; though she did not know Riley very well, the Mer seemed nice, if a little cocky, and the idea of her perishing in such a painful and lonely way made her gut clench, especially since it seemed like such a silly reason; a fight like that. “Maybe it was naïve, but I kind of always thought the Mer as a society would be a lot more peaceful. That they’d be a lot like Luna,” Katie admitted.

Sophie stalled the wheelchair out front of the elevator doors and mashed a finger against the call button. Katie glanced up at her mother’s pursed lips, twitched into a slight frown. “Obviously there are dangers out in the ocean; plenty of them, but I don’t think I ever really suspected Riley to be at risk among her own kind.”

“My kind now too, I guess,” Katie added. Her tail was growing cramped beneath her and she shifted in the seat in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure. “Do you think she’ll be able to help? With Luna, I mean? Maybe Torren too?”

“I don’t know, Katie,” Sophie sighed as the doors slid open with a ding. Katie gripped the wheels of the chair and rolled herself inside before Sophie had the chance to take over again. “I hope so, I really do; I don’t think Luna will truly begin to feel at ease here, she should be back with her family, but it’s such a vast ocean and Riley seems to be a little worldly, but even she can’t know everyone in their world.”

Katie chewed her lip and nodded. The logic was sound and she did not really know what she expected Sophie to say. Of course they had the potential to get lucky, but it was even likelier they wouldn’t, and it now seemed that simply traipsing the ocean from pod to pod would not be a doable task. Neither she or Luna had any real skills hunting or defending themselves, or any idea how to navigate the waters.

“Have you thought about what you want to do?” Sophie broke the silence that had fallen as the elevator rose. “If Riley does happen to find Luna’s pod, she’s going to want to go back…are you going to go with her?” Katie winced at the sharp strangle in Sophie’s voice. None of this had been easy, and they’d been skirting around the fact that Katie’s human life really was over and it made the most sense for her to integrate into a pod if she could. She didn’t like to dwell on it, but she didn’t like the idea of being separated from Luna either. There didn’t seem to be an option that didn’t involve splitting from one of the people who meant the world to her, possibly permanently.

“I’m not sure what I want yet,” she said after a long, drawn out hesitation. “I want the nightmares to stop, I want to feel like I can breathe safely again, but when it comes to the long term future…” she trailed off and knotted her fingers in her scalp, tugging on the hairs there and pulling strands free of the braid she’d just redone. “Everything is so screwed up now.”

Sophie paused outside the apartment door and fumbled in her pocket for her keys. Katie just stared at the closed door, not even remembering getting off the elevator. Once the door was unlocked and they were safely inside, Sophie pulled a chair out from the table and spun it so she could sit closer to eye level. Katie couldn’t help but search her face. Sophie always seemed to have an answer, or at least something reassuring to say until they found one, and she couldn’t help but desperately depend on that now.

As if sensing that desire now, Sophie shook her head and Katie’s hopes plummeted. “I can’t make that choice for you, Kate, you know that. But I support whatever you choose; it has to be what’s best for you now. I think we both know there’s not a lot to offer you here in the way of a stable life anymore.” Sophie bit her lip rather obviously and Katie knew she was fighting back a tempest of emotions; after all, Katie was doing the same thing.

“I don’t want to leave you,” Katie whispered. “I just got home. But I can’t hide in the apartment forever either; I’ll always feel a little trapped, like there’s no way to escape. They’d find me eventually.”

Katie shifted her tail so she could stretch out the muscles, frowning when she heard a few scales clatter to the wood floor beneath her. She was shedding quite a few scales lately and was beginning to wonder if it was a growth thing or something she should be concerned about. Perhaps the stress was affecting her. Ignoring them for now, she leaned forward, feeling like the weight of everything was crushing her. Sophie’s arms were around her instantly, supporting her and twisting the wheelchair so she could lay out on her lap. Katie sighed and didn’t protest, just pressed her forehead against Sophie’s knee.

Sophie tugged the elastic free of her hair, which had begun growing back out, was just past her shoulders, and began to stroke the locks. It was soothing, and Katie’s breath whistled from her nose as she tried to simply release all the tension that had built up. Maybe for a few minutes, she could just ignore everything that was going on, that they were faced with.

“Perhaps,” Sophie began, her voice an echo like it always was when she mulled her thoughts. “Perhaps it’s time I considered hiring a manager here. The paperwork is getting to be a lot, but I never saw the point when we lived on site, but I reckon it might be time to consider a move.”

“You want to move?” Katie repeated, frowning. The line of thought seemed a little out of the blue.

“Yes,” Sophie responded. “I think it’s time. I’ve always liked the idea of a nice little house on the coast. Somewhere private, away from the city and hustle and bustle. Maybe with a dock, easy access to the water, something to make it easier for you to come and go.” The implications of Sophie’s statement hit Katie like a truck and she wiggled a little to peer up at the mother figure in her life.

“You would do that?” she murmured. “Uproot your life here like that? What about Lewis?”

Sophie began to chuckle softly and she shook her head. “Katie, I would do anything for you, when are you going to realize that? And I hardly doubt Lewis is going to mind much. He understands the position we’re in. I’m not saying we move out of country or anything, maybe just an hour out of town. There’s a lot of beachfront in the area for sale right now and I think we’d all feel a little bit safer, all things considered, away from so many people.”

“That does sound nice,” Katie agreed reluctantly. She didn’t want Sophie to have to uproot everything for her like that, but the idea of a beach house, something easier to get around in without elevators and crowded halls, right on the water to swim or make an easy getaway if necessary sounded like a little slice of heaven about now.

“What sounds nice?” Luna’s voice was soft, but startled the both of them. The younger Mer had leaned around the corner, a wide yawn splitting her jaws as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. Her hair was frizzing up and she did not seem to have fully woken yet, which brought a smile to Katie’s face. Luna tended to snap awake on a dime, when she was like this it meant that she had gotten a proper nap in.

“A new home,” Katie responded, glancing up at Sophie for confirmation.

Her mother nodded and smiled. “I’ll start looking this afternoon.”

Luna, for her part, merely cocked her head, brows furrowed as she grasped at the straws of a missed conversation. It made Katie laugh.


	6. Some Friendly Bartering

The squeak of the wheelchair wheels was the only thing to break the silence as Katie cautiously wheeled her way down the hall. It was dark now, with only a few lights still on so lingering souls weren’t stumbling around blind. It was later and it hadn’t taken Sophie long to fall asleep after staying up nearly two days straight. Katie had left Luna snuggled under the blankets in their room with the promise she wouldn’t be gone long. Sophie didn’t like them leaving the apartment, but Katie found herself drawn back towards Lewis’ office and the injured Mer residing within. Riley fascinated her and she wanted to talk to the girl a little more without Sophie hovering and trying to push her out the door. She’d already been warned not to hassle Riley about Luna until she was in a better shape; mostly because she was apparently willful enough to impede herself in order to help. Katie accepted the logic, knowing that it made no difference to Luna’s wait.

As she reached the veterinary office, Katie noted the light spilling from the crack below the door. Lewis was still inside. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out and tapping her knuckles once against the frame before twisting the handle and wheeling her way inside. Lewis was seated at his desk, staring at her as she entered. His lips twisted into a slight frown as he glanced down at her lap and the box resting there before sighing. “You’re going to get me in trouble for this,” he growled lightly.

Katie shrugged and tilted her head. “I was careful. I’ll be quiet,” she countered. “I can’t stay up there anymore, I’m going stir crazy. I just need a break, just for a little while.”

Lewis sighed and rose from his chair, moving to squeeze her shoulder as he passed. “Don’t say we didn’t warn you. I’ll come back in an hour or two. If you leave before then, lock the door behind you and don’t be seen,” he warned.

Katie nodded and smiled painfully up at him. “Thanks Lewis,” she expressed, feeling guilty about snapping at him the day prior. He was doing his best to make the most of a rough situation and she knew he cared more about her wellbeing than anything else. He nodded once and slipped out the door, pulling it shut behind him.

With him gone, Katie turned her attention back to the reason she was here. Riley was only semi-reclined, propped up on an elbow. Her eyebrow was quirked as she regarded Katie in return. “Back again?”

“That a problem?”

Riley shook her head and shrugged, then winced at the action. After a moment to recover, a wry smirk twisted back across her lips. “No,” she replied. “It is not as though I have anywhere else to be. Just curious as to why, seems like you are risking an overprotective lecture to be here; what is the reason?”

“I came to barter,” Katie replied as she pushed herself closer.

Riley’s eyes brightened and her fins flicked as she drummed her fingers on the medical bed. Her eyebrow quirked up further and the smirk on her lips rose into a grin. “Oh?”

Katie lifted the game box from her lap, the pieces inside rattling as she set it down on the little tv stand that had been set up beside the bed and had only a glass of water on it. “Yes. A game of chess,” she replied. She grinned back at the other Mer.

Riley’s eyes danced over the box and then her gaze jumped back. “In exchange for….?”

“I want to hear more.”

“About?”

“Everything,” Katie pressed eagerly. “Tell me everything. I know so little about the tail and the species, and you have lived your whole life in the ocean with a culture I can only guess at. I want to hear about it all.”

Riley pursed her lips and went back to drumming her fingers as she mulled the statement over. Her grin grew wider. “That will cost you more than one game,” she taunted.

Katie leaned forward in her seat and matched the smile. “I can play as long as you can talk,” she challenged. The spark that ignited in Riley’s gaze at the response gave an insight to just how long they might end up playing.

Riley was already pulling the box open and fishing for the game board by time the “deal” left her mouth. Silence stretched between them for a few minutes as they set up the game pieces and took their first moves. “Where do you want to start?” Riley inquired finally.

Katie shrugged as she moved a pawn then looked up to meet Riley’s wide, icy gaze. Her pale blue eyes would seem eerie, if it weren’t for the bright way she offered a mischievous grin and relaxed demeanor. Katie internally shuddered at the thought of how quickly that could change if Riley grew angry. “Ummm, well, what about the overall society? Do Mer have different cities or nations? Do you have a monarchy or a democracy and does it span further than just one cluster?”

Riley’s head cocked and she didn’t answer right away. Katie began to wonder if she had said something wrong before she noticed Riley’s lips moving as she mouthed a word or two to herself. She didn’t recognize something Katie had said and Katie flushed. With Luna it didn’t seem quite so exposing to sound ‘human’ but with Riley – a wild, born and raised Mer – it felt like a dirty secret she should hide away. “Mer live in pods,” Riley finally responded. “Family groups. Most pods are not connected in any way, though some will merge or gather during migrations to share resources if their paths cross. We do not have things like this though, buildings and homes where strangers live side by side and go about their different lifestyles. Mer live together in their groups. A monarchy is a single ruler that makes all choices, yes?” When Katie nodded confirmation, Riley continued. “We do not have that either. Pods are separate, as I said, with different morals and regulations. We have some interconnecting beliefs and stipulations, but most pods have varied cultures, especially the further apart from one another they are. I have not met many from much further north to say much about them, but farther away I go, the larger the lifestyle gaps. Within a pod, choices are made by the majority for the most part. Some pods have a council, usually composed of the eldest, while within others a vote is cast among every fully matured member, but we do no elect a single ruler or pod to control the rest.”

“What’s your pod like?” Katie pressed, fascinated by the concept of a lack of proper society that still seemed contained and structured. “Do they know you’re here? I hope they’re not worried. I kind of assumed that Mer tended to stay away from humans, given that there’s not much interaction known about.”

“Most do,” Riley agreed. “But my being here is of no concern to my pod. I have not been with them for a few cycles of the seasons now.” Riley didn’t elaborate, instead refocusing on the game pieces before selecting a rook to move.

Katie hesitated. She wanted to ask more but didn’t want to pry into a potentially painful situation. “Are you okay to talk about it?” she asked finally. Her gut clenched as Riley looked up at her again and sighed.

“I left of my own accord,” she said finally.

Katie couldn’t stop the “why?” that had already been said aloud before she realized she’d been thinking it.

Riley shuffled her fins and made another move on the board. “I mentioned how every pod has their own beliefs and ways of life. Technically, an outsider is free to travel among pods not their own so long as they are willing to respect and abide by the different rules and morals. My family is pretty open and accepting, but they put heavy view on children being the responsibility of the grown. Essentially, until I came of age, I had no real voice, my mother spoke for me. But we did not get along and she had a different idea on how I should be raised and how I should live. I was not keen on being molded into her ideals, so I taught myself the necessary survival skills and bartered for my right to freedom. I left and I am not really welcome back because of it.”

Katie sighed softly and made a move on the board. “I’m sorry, Riley,” she murmured. “That’s an awful thing to endure.” She worried at her lip, the point of a fang digging into the tender flesh. She was all to familiar with the dark feelings that came with being unwanted and imperfect in the eyes of a parent. Her youth was soured with negative memories of Roxanne.

Riley shrugged as she moved a knight to claim one of Katie’s pawns and looked up to offer her a lopsided grin that showed off her long fangs. “Do not be. I am content with the state of my life and honestly, my pod was not so bad; many of my family were wonderful. It would not have been a bad place to grow if not for my mother.”

Katie nodded and pushed the negative thoughts away. If Riley wasn’t bothered, she wasn’t going to bog down the game or the conversation with decrepit thoughts. She studied the game board for a moment, then moved a bishop to avenge her pawn and take Riley’s horse. Riley’s gaze narrowed and her grin faltered for a moment as she hunched over the game board and studied the pieces. Katie watched her lips move as she muttered something under her breath. A strategy attempt, no doubt.

There was a moment of silence that stretched between them while the decision was made, but finally Riley made her choice and took one of Katie’s knights in response. She rolled the wooden horse between her fingers before setting it aside. “What sorts of things did you learn growing up?” Katie inquired, finally breaking the quiet. “What do Mer teach their offspring?” She added another of Riley’s pawns to her growing pile of claimed pieces.

Riley cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips as she mulled the question. “How to hunt and forage food, to navigate open waters, locate and travel through various currents, and self-defense,” she began. She paused to blow her bangs off her face and moved another piece on the board. “We are taught our culture and history; stories passed through the generations. Oh, and languages.”

“Languages? How many do you speak?” Katie inquired.

Riley cocked an eyebrow and Katie blushed and ducked her head in response, wondering what she’d said wrong. “Have you had any interactions with other sea creatures?”

“A dolphin,” Katie responded and took her turn.

“Then you know already that we converse easily with other creatures. Dolphins are one of the easiest to comprehend; they might as well be speaking no differently. It is also the easiest to learn to articulate. Some languages take a bit more work and exposure to understand and are difficult to replicate, but if you are dedicated enough then you could in theory learn to converse with just about every creature in the ocean that has a language,” Riley explained.

Katie’s heart fluttered in her chest at the thought. The more she learned, the less the tail seemed like a curse for the moment. It seemed magical, like something out of a fairy tale. She leaned her head against her arm and fiddled with the braid in her hair. It was slowly growing back out but was still too short to do much else with if she wanted to pull it off her face; a stumpy braid or ponytail was about all she could manage. “That’s really neat. Is it just aquatic creatures then? English doesn’t seem to be a problem; do you know any other human languages?”

“A few, just a little though; not enough to hold a proper conversation in. I believe most pods keep teach their young the language most prevalent to their area. Pods closer to the shallows of the continents run more risk of interaction so it is considered important. Those that stay to the depths or open waters are less likely to know much human dialect.”

Katie nodded. That made sense, and she guessed since Riley spoke it so well, her pod must have been relatively coastal. A new question burned at her tongue, but she hesitated to ask it. She shouldn’t go down the rabbit hole of Luna and her situation, but that could be a valuable clue. Luna knew English almost perfectly too and Katie wondered if that meant her pod was also coastal or if it was merely exposure to nothing but in the lab that led to the fluency. “So, is there an actual Mer language?”

Riley shook her head. “No. Most tend to stick to a personal preferred dialect. Since most of the common languages are universally understood, it is not necessarily uncommon to find a conversation with two parties speaking different tongues to one another.”

“Doesn’t that get confusing to follow?” she inquired. Katie frowned as she tried to picture speaking to someone in English while they responded in French.

Riley cocked her head to the side and grinned, her eyebrow raising again. “You tell me,” she countered, her voice taking on a higher pitched chirp. She was speaking with the whistling tones Katie had heard when she got to converse with a dolphin a few months ago.

“I guess not,” Katie replied, only to clap her hand over her mouth when the same whistling tone left her throat. She felt her eyes widen in surprise and when Riley began to laugh, her cheeks reddened.

“That can also happen sometimes,” Riley stated with a dip of her head. She was grinning widely and the tips of her fins were flicking in and out.

Katie shrunk down further under her amused stare and hastily turned her attention back to the game. She made her move. “Check,” she stated. Instantly, Riley’s grin faltered and her gaze snapped to the gameboard. She growled softly and muttered something under her breath as she used her queen to take out the threat of Katie’s rook. Katie countered by claiming Riley’s queen with a bishop. “Check,” she stated again.

“Stop it,” Riley hissed. Her tongue poked out between her teeth and she tugged her king to safety.

Now it was Katie’s turn to chuckle. “Sophie was right, you are really bad at this game,” she teased. Katie made another move and winked at the other Mer. “Three more moves and I win,” she declared.

Riley snorted in response and took a long time studying the board, her fingers tapping repeatedly against the fold out table as she clearly tried to mull over some semblance of a strategy.

As predicted, in a few more moves, Katie had Riley’s king cornered and the girl hissed in annoyance, her lip curling as she glowered in Katie’s direction. “Again,” she demanded. She didn’t seem to care Katie’s opinion on the poorly delivered request as she began resetting the pieces.

It wasn’t Katie who answered, however. “No more.” The voice was calm, quiet, but it made them both jump. Despite their heightened hearing capabilities, Katie hadn’t heard the door open and clearly Riley hadn’t either. Katie twisted in her seat to see Sophie leaning against the doorframe with a quirked eyebrow and a tired expression on her face. Katie winced at the dark circles beneath her adoptive mother’s eyes. She needed more rest than she was getting. Sophie had her fingers curled around a mug and was wearing striped pajama shorts and a black tank top. Sleep attire. She didn’t look mad, but when Katie met her gaze, she couldn’t help but feel like a small child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

“I’m sorry,” she found herself apologizing in anticipation.

Sophie shook her head and brushed her bangs off her face. “I’m not mad, Katie. I would have appreciated a heads up if you were going to leave, however. Waking up to find your child not in her room is horrifying on its own without everything else that’s going on. I know it hasn’t been easy, being cooped up like this, but you’re better than that.”

Katie sighed and accepted the logic. Normally a text message was enough for Sophie, but failing to follow up at all was immature and irresponsible. “I should have said something, I know,” she agreed. “I just wanted to know more about Mer culture.”

“And I appreciated the company,” Riley added.

“Again, I’m not mad,” Sophie pressed. “Just, tell me next time.” She pushed off the wall and made her way over to them. “How’s the pain?” she inquired as she bent over Riley to inspect the bandages around her waist.

“Okay,” Riley responded.

“Meaning…?” Sophie trailed off and raised an eyebrow.

“The painkillers have worn off,” Riley finally admitted. She glanced away and Katie felt her stomach flip. She was made all too familiar with surgical pain and figured a stab wound was in the same league. Why had Riley not said anything? She had not even shown she was in pain, simply played the game and let Katie pester her with questions.

Sophie dipped her head and gently pressed on Riley’s shoulder. “Lie down now,” she instructed. Katie observed silently as her mother moved over to Lewis’ supply cabinets and began measuring out a dosage.

“Lie down?” Riley echoed. “Why? We were going to play another game.”

The look of exasperation Katie received at Riley’s statement was instantaneous and coupled with a dramatic eyeroll. “You had to get her started,” Sophie sighed. “Riley, this is going to make you drowsy; you need the rest. There will be plenty of time for games in the morning.”

Riley’s lips pursed into a pout and she shook her head. “I have done enough resting, Sophie,” she protested.

“Riley, you’re hurt,” Sophie pointed out as she returned with a syringe. “When you stop getting yourself into these situations, then you can choose when you’ve had enough rest. For now, you’re going to abide by medical protocol.”

Riley rolled her eyes and rested her cheek on a closed fist. Her fins lashed and her lip curled. “Fine. If I must rest, is there at least someplace else I can do it? This room is so dry and stuffy, I feel like my scales are flaking,” she argued.

Katie found herself nodding in sympathy. Lewis’ office was dry and she completely understood Riley’s point. She had only spent an hour down with her and already her own scales felt dry, her mouth parched. Mer really didn’t do as well out of water as she had originally thought.

“Alright,” Sophie caved. “I’ll take you upstairs so long as you promise to rest tomorrow and allow yourself to get better. We really shouldn’t be moving you; if your stitches tear, it will take even longer for you to heal.” She didn’t wait for an answer as she grabbed Riley’s wrist and injected the contents of the needle into her vein. She set it aside and then leaned down. “Put your arms around my neck. Move slowly.”

When Sophie picked Riley up, Katie had to duck around one of the girl’s massive hip fins, which was dangling limply. The extra fins fascinated Katie and she wanted to ask Riley about them when the girl was feeling better. Neither she nor Luna had anything beyond what she would consider the ‘base’ design and she was curious to know if Riley was an oddity or if it was common for Mer to have additional features.

Riley grimaced as Sophie shifted her in her arms but didn’t make a sound. Sophie seemed to notice regardless and inquired; “are you okay?” Though she nodded her head in response, Katie noted Riley’s clenched jaw and the way her tail tensed. She knew Sophie noticed too. “Hang in there a couple minutes, we’ll get you upstairs and settled,” Sophie encouraged. “Katie, leave the game down here, okay? We can get cleaned up in the morning.”

Katie nodded and followed Sophie back out the door and into the darkened hallway. The path was taken by memory at this point and after a short trip, they were back inside the apartment. With her free hand, Sophie ruffled Katie’s hair and she glanced up at her mother. “Goodnight Kate, sleep well okay? I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Goodnight,” she replied. She watched as Sophie took Riley down the hall to her bedroom and sighed. Knowing Sophie, the woman would camp out on the floor or couch to keep Riley comfortable. It was sweet, but Katie knew her mother needed to sleep properly too. Now was hardly the time to argue about it, however, so Katie simply made her way back into her own room. Luna was coiled up on the bed, only half under the covers with her fin dangling over the side. Her nose was scrunched up, but she seemed to be sleeping soundly, with no lurking nightmares.

Regardless, Katie was immensely cautious as she crawled up onto the mattress to avoid waking the younger Mer. Luna hardly ever got any sleep these days and she needed the rest too. Feeling the exhaustion of the day creep back up on her, Katie was half asleep by time she pulled the blanket over herself and hit the pillow.


	7. Revelations

Waking was once again an experience as Riley dragged herself back into the conscious world. As she cracked an eye open, she found herself in an unfamiliar room. It was a rich green, like being cocooned in a kelp forest. It was almost soothing, and the thick blanket tugged up to her neck was warm and lulling her back to sleep. She decided she hated the sedatives. Painkillers she would tolerate; it was nice to have the edge taken off, but the sedatives made her brain fuzzy. Despite the warmth of the room and the lingering exhaustion, Riley felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle, and she shuddered. Instantly put on edge, she raised her head to find Lewis leaned up against a piece of furniture that looked very much like his desk, with many drawers. She huffed in annoyance. “That is twice now. Do not sneak up!” she protested.

Lewis glanced up from the small black device in his hand. Riley did not really understand the fascination with the phones. She knew they were for speaking to one another over long distances but staring at it seemed a little pointless to her. “I wasn’t sneaking up on you, Riley,” Lewis countered.

“Lurking creepily counts,” she argued.

“I was waiting for you to wake up so I can check on your stitches. I figured it would be more distressing if I did it while you were out and you happened to wake then, don’t you think?”

Riley rolled her eyes and dipped her head in reluctant agreement. “That is fair,” she conceded.

Lewis stepped forward and hooked his fingers under the blanket, drawing it slowly back off her tail. She twitched her fins as the additional warmth gave way to cooler air. “Move your arm,” Lewis instructed gently. When she complied, he leaned over and began to peel away the white pad stuck to her side. The moment the stitches beneath became visible, Riley averted her gaze. She had gotten a glimpse of the twisted black thread holding her skin in place and her stomach had flipped at the sight. It had looked red and ugly and irritated.

“How does it look?” she forced herself to ask, despite in part not wanting to know.

“Good,” Lewis replied. She felt the tug on her flesh as he finished pulling the pad away. “You heal remarkably fast. How’s the pain?”

Riley shrugged. “It is sore, it itches, but it is not too bad,” she replied. “Just let me know when you have covered it all up again.” She wrung her fingers and chewed on her lip, training her gaze on the wall on the far side of the room. She was determined not to glance back, despite being able to see him moving in her peripheral vision. She heard the click as he opened some sort of bottle or container, but she tensed her jaw and refused to look.

“It won’t be long,” Lewis assured her, and she quietly appreciated that he did not dig at her squeamish reaction to the stitches. She flinched when his fingers came into contact with her side, smearing a cream over her skin. “You okay? I know it stings, but did it hurt too much? I can get you some painkillers.”

Riley shook her head and grit her teeth. It did sting, it throbbed when he put even slight pressure on the wound, but she could endure it. “It is fine,” she assured him. “Just startled me is all.”

She sat silently, trying not to wince or fidget as he rubbed the salve into the injury. Despite the pain, her patience was rewarded as moments later, Lewis was spreading a fresh pad over the stitches and tapping her on the shoulder. “All done,” he informed her.

She sighed and twisted her attention away from the wall. “Thank you,” she replied.

She glanced up at the soft knock on the doorframe. Sophie poked her head in, her curly red hair bundled up on top of her head. “Hey,” she greeted softly. She stepped fully into the room and shut the door behind her. “How is everything going in here? Everything look okay?”

Lewis nodded. “Once again, she’s a miracle patient and heals fast. I would peg it one more good day of proper rest and minimal movement and she should be fine. The stitches have to dissolve before you can get back in the water, but you’re going to be fine,” Lewis reported, directing the last part at Riley. She rolled her eyes but reluctantly accepted one more day of boredom, knowing Sophie would not stand for anything less.

“Good,” Sophie responded. “Are you feeling okay, Riley?”

“Yes,” Riley agreed instantly. She had only been awake a short while and was already feeling restless. She needed something to fill the time. “I feel better than fine. The pain is tolerable, and I slept through the night.”

Sophie chuckled and rolled her eyes. “You’re not going to weasel your way out of bed any earlier than Lewis recommends, so don’t bother trying. Now, are you hungry? I can get you some breakfast.”

Riley paused to consider that option before nodding. “Yes please, and then we can play more chess,” she stated with an expectantly raised eyebrow. If she had to be confined longer, she intended to insist on further games.

She frowned when Sophie shook her head. “I thought we might play something else,” she suggested. “Something more inclusive. Chess is only for two players.”

“Very well,” Riley lamented. “I shall spare you a crushing defeat so that the group may partake in a challenge. I imagine it will be that much more satisfying to triumph over three of you.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right,” she teased dryly. “And it would be four people to beat. There are five of us here.”

Riley’s eyebrows dipped together in confusion and she counted off the names in her head, not comprehending the statement. “Five? There is you and me and Lewis and Katie, that is only four people,” Riley argued. “Who is the fifth?” She cocked her head at the conundrum.

Sophie made her way over and took a seat on the edge of the mattress beside Riley. Her weight dipped it down and Riley shifted her tail to make a little more room. “Luna,” Sophie replied.

“Luna?” Riley echoed. “Who is that?” She was not truly intimidated by a name and she trusted Sophie, but she was not overly thrilled at the idea of there being someone in the vicinity she did not know.

Sophie reached a hand up to smooth back some of Riley’s hair off her face. The Mer wanted to protest that the locks were fine, and the conversation was more important, but she had learned not to resist Sophie’s more tender tendencies. She knew it was in part because the motions felt so loving and she quietly craved that affection; though she was reluctant to admit it. “She’s not anyone that you have to be worried about. Luna is a young girl. You asked yesterday about the story behind Katie’s reappearance and change of species,” Sophie reminded. “Well, Luna is part of that story. It’s a long one so I won’t go into the details right now. I’m going to go get breakfast sorted and then I will come back and fill you in properly, alright?”

Riley dipped her head in acknowledgement. She did want the full story, but she would not press to get it immediately. “Perhaps I can come with you and help with food? You could tell me about it-” Riley trailed off when Sophie fixed her with a stern glare. She found herself shrinking under the scrutinizing gaze.

“You’re staying in bed,” Sophie instructed firmly.

Riley crossed her arms and jutted her lip into a pout. “Fine,” she drawled in exasperation. She knew it was petulant, but she was tired of being confined. She huffed and flicked her fins. “One day,” she relented. “I will remain torturously still for one more day, but I refuse to do so any longer,” she announced, jabbing a finger in the air to punctuate her point. She met Sophie’s gaze evenly, silently daring the woman to disagree with her. 

Sophie smiled softly and reached up to cup Riley’s cheek. She brought their faces close enough that their noses touched. Riley’s heart skipped and she froze up. Despite all her sweetness, Sophie could be intimidating when she wanted to be. “I think there’s a lesson to be learned here about getting into fights,” Sophie began, her voice dripping with tainted honey. “But you will lie here until Lewis gives you the all clear and that’s final.” She pressed her lips to Riley’s forehead and patted her on the head.

Riley scowled. “Stubborn,” she hissed in response.

“Impossible,” Sophie countered. “Relax, Riley; you survived a month of sitting still, I’m sure you can handle a couple of days now.” She didn’t wait for a response as she rose from the bed and left the room.

Riley sighed. “I do not suppose you would do me the favor of changing your opinion on my healing progress?” she inquired, offering Lewis a grin.

To her surprise, he smiled back. “Sure, I can do that.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Two or three days more bedrest would be better.”

“I hate you,” Riley grumbled and crossed her arms. “Fine, I will be patient and wait out the day.”

“Good choice,” Lewis replied with a wink before he turned and left her alone in the bedroom. Riley huffed and propped herself up a little better on the bed. Her wound stung mightily, but unlike last time breathing and minimal movement did not lance pain through her entire body; she could hardly stand to remain bedridden. She twisted a corner of the blanket between her fingers and leaned her head back against the wooden backing of the bed. There was nothing remotely interesting within the room to hold her attention. Riley lifted her arm out of the way to examine the white pad stuck to her side. It was wrapped partially over her hip – just above where her glider protruded from her skin-scale line – and the skin around it was an irritated pink shade. Chewing on her lip, Riley hesitantly reached out to touch the tender, bruised skin around the adhesive bandage. Her nose wrinkled as she winced. It was definitely sore still. Licking her lips, she left it alone in favor of combing a few tangles out of her hair. She did not care much for the appearance, but if it knotted too badly it would get caught and pull at her scalp and be more painful to correct. It seemed to tangle far more easily when dry on land than in the water.

“Still haven’t let you off bedrest?” Riley glanced up at Katie – who was lurking in the doorway – when she posed the question.

Riley grinned and nodded. “Annoyingly, no.”

The bark of laughter that ripped from Katie’s lips in response startled Riley and she cocked her head. Katie shook hers as she wheeled over to the bed. “Can you blame her? One of her ducklings came home in a poor state. You’ve sent her into an overprotective panic.”

“Ducklings?”

Katie waved a hand. “Ducks are a partially aquatic bird found around bodies of freshwater. A duckling is a baby duck. It doesn’t matter. The point is, Sophie considers you one of her own and if you leave and then come home injured, she’s going to hover and fuss over you.”

Riley shrugged. “I am fine, it was barely a scratch.”

“You got stabbed,” Katie countered with a raised eyebrow.

At that, Riley grinned. Her lips pulled back to show off her fangs. “I would have won in a fair fight and I took out two of the three. Not too bad, all things considered.”

Katie snorted. “Two out of three still leaves you dead,” she points out. “You got lucky and you know it. Let her fuss. The more you resist it, the harder she comes down. I’ve had years of experience with Sophie’s overprotective mothering, trust me on this.” Katie propped her elbows on the bed and leaned forward to rest her chin atop the mattress. “Lewis says you’re healing well, which is good though.”

“I heal fast,” Riley stated. She gently shifted her weight on the bed. She could not decide if she was cold and wanted the blanket or too warm and wanted to discard it. She was drying out and would have to do something about it.

“I’ve noticed that,” Katie agreed. “Faster rehabilitation rate. But not that fast; what’s your secret?”

Riley shrugged. “Not sure, but I am not complaining about it.”

Sophie strolled back in a moment later with a plate in her hands. She set it down on the small wooden surface beside the bed. Riley made a mental note to inquire later about the names of the pieces of furniture. She glanced down at the plate, recognizing the fruit slices instantly, but pondering over the other component to the meal. It was brown and ribbed and smelled delightful. Her mouth watered at the sight.

“Ooh, waffles,” Katie commented. “Looks good.”

“Yours are in the dining room if you want some,” Sophie offered. She leaned over and handed Riley a fork. Riley took it with one hand, but her free hand was already plucking up an apple slice and pushing it into her mouth. She was unapologetic about it, despite Sophie’s eye-roll. Fruit was not meant to be skewered on tiny metal picks to be eaten. Certain things were meant to be enjoyed naturally. “You should go eat. I’m going to talk to Riley.”

Riley glanced at them out the corner of her eye and plucked up a grape to nibble on.

“I think I’ll stay,” Katie decided.

“Are you sure? I intend to gloss, but still,” Sophie pressed.

Riley frowned and began to pay a bit more attention. Whatever she was about to learn was clearly a terse, painful subject.

“I’m sure,” Katie insists. “I’ll be alright. And besides, I want to be here. As long as Luna isn’t alone,” Her voice trailed off and she leaned back in her seat to peer out the doorway as if searching for someone.

“She’s with Lewis,” Sophie replied. “They’re going to play checkers.”

“I thought Lewis refused to play checkers?”

“You know he can’t resist making that little girl smile. I just want to know what it is with Mer and the obsession with plaid game boards.” Riley raised an eyebrow as both of her companions began to laugh. She ignored them and ate another grape before deciding to try the ‘waffle’ as Katie had called it. It was cut into four triangles and she plucked one up.

“I think you forgot the syrup,” Katie stated.

“No, I didn’t forget,” Sophie replied. “Riley is not allowed syrup anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Because she can’t be trusted with it.”

“What?” Riley protested. She shot Sophie an annoyed glare and then took a bite of the waffle triangle. It was crunchy and soft at the same time and she shivered at the pleasant taste. After licking her lips and swallowing, she took another bite.

“The last time you had syrup, I had to cut knots out of your hair because of the mess you made,” Sophie countered. “And you fussed the entire time.”

Riley ducked her head and averted her gaze. Sophie was right, of course; she had not been expecting the brown substance to be quite so sticky. It had tasted good, but she could live without it, so she pursed her lips and took another bite of her breakfast as if she had not wanted the topping in the first place.

She only glanced back when Sophie took a seat on the opposite side of the mattress. “Riley, can you sit up a little more, hon or do you need a hand?”

Riley shook her head and pushed the last piece of the waffle wedge into her mouth. “I can do it,” she mumbled around the mouthful. She pressed her palms into the mattress and gently shifted so that she was leaning back against the wood backing of the bed and able to properly survey the room. Once she was settled, she trained her gaze on Sophie expectantly.

Sophie took a deep breath. “I’m going to fill you in on what you missed since last time you were here, but it’s not a fun story.”

Riley dipped her head. “I figured. Everyone seems to be skirting around it and you all get this somber tone about the topic. You do not have to tell me if you do not want to.”

“You need to know,” Katie stated. “We need your help, but it won’t make sense until you hear the rest of the story.”

“Okay,” Riley agreed, though her mind was spinning. She was happy to help however she could – she owed Sophie her life twice over – but she was not quite certain what they would need from her that was not simply teaching Katie culture, which she hardly needed a backstory in order to do.

When Sophie began to speak, she listened intently and it did not take long for a deep frown to pull at her lips. She kept an eye on Katie out the corner of her eye and though it was clear Sophie was being vague about the specific details, Katie seemed to deflate significantly. It was clearly a hard topic for her, and Riley was quickly understanding why.

“We’ve been doing the best we can to figure out the situation, but it’s why I’ve been a little firm on Katie staying in the apartment where she’s less likely to be seen,” Sophie explained.

Riley was silent for a moment and then nodded. “I understand better now what you meant when you said to me that humans would not necessarily react well to me. You have my sympathies, Katie, however meaningless that may be.”

“Thanks,” Katie responded. She forced a smile, but her tone rang hollow.

“You mentioned that you needed my help,” Riley changed the subject, eager to further the conversation so they could move onto more pleasant topics since it was clearly upsetting Katie more than Riley was comfortable with. “I am not certain yet with what, however?”

Sophie sighed. “Well, we need your help about Luna. She’s just a little girl but she was in that facility a lot longer than Katie was, and she is Mer by birth. She was very little when she was captured and we’d like to get her back home to her family, but she has no memory of who they were or where she is from originally,” Sophie began.

“Poor child,” Riley commented. “That is an unfortunate fate.”

“I know it’s a long shot, but we were hoping maybe you could just ask around when you’re next travelling? See if anyone is missing a daughter about her age? We have no other way of locating any pods. We know she’s from tropical waters, but there’s no way to narrow it down further,” Sophie explained.

“We have to do something,” Katie pressed. “And neither Luna or I have any idea how to properly manage ourselves out there, so traipsing around the oceans isn’t smart. At least, not without a guide.”

Riley chewed on her lip for a moment, mulling the situation over in her mind. “Of course I will try, I would be happy to help,” she began. “But I cannot make any promises. There are a lot of pods and they are very widespread. It could take a very long time to track down her original family group, if we even ever managed it. It is a hard truth, but you may never find them.”

“I know,” Katie acknowledged. Riley watched her fingers curl into fists. “But I have to try. She’s my best friend.”

“I will do what I can, Katie. I will have to meet this Mer first, however. It is far easier to mention her if I know her physical features. Many Mer traits are very distinctive,” Riley added.

“That’s a given,” Sophie agreed.

The moment Sophie made the statement, a peal of laughter echoed down the hall, drawing Riley’s attention. She saw both Sophie and Katie look up as well. A few minutes later, Lewis appeared in the doorway with a young girl clinging to his back, her tail curled around his waist. Her mouth was agape in a wide smile, her bright blue eyes shining gleefully. Her fingers were fisted into his shirt and her brown hair swung around behind them both. Her tail was a rich blue, like deep water, and Riley studied the pattered circles on her light blue fin. She was pretty.

“Katie, take your problem back,” Lewis protested lightly as he twisted and dumped the young Mer on the edge of the bed. She giggled again as she twisted to prop herself back upright. Her smile slipped in favor of a look of awe as she caught sight of Riley.

“Hello,” Riley greeted her, grinning. “Luna, I presume?”

“Hello,” she echoed softly, her head ducking.

Riley’s smile softened and she turned back to Sophie. “The answer is yes,” she decided. “As soon as I am healed enough to swim, I can take her home.”

“Wait, you know where she’s from?” Katie asked eagerly. “Are you sure?”

Riley nodded. “Yes, Katie, I do,” Riley said as she turned back to the child sitting stunned on the bed. “You were very young last I saw you; do you remember me, I wonder?”

Tears began to water in the young Mer’s gaze and she shook her head. “I am sorry; I do not.”

“Do not be sorry,” Riley placated. “It has been a long time. My name is Riley. We played together when we were children; you were full of energy and could almost keep up with me. We are cousins. Our family was devastated at your loss and while your story pains me to hear, I am glad you are safe now.” Riley’s smile grew and she chewed on her lip to fend off the tears threatening to water in her own gaze. “It is good to see you, Kera.”


	8. Memories

Luna sat on the edge of the bed, her heart drumming in her chest. She could only stare at the other Mer in front of her. Riley, she had said. She had also claimed they were cousins, related…family. Luna’s head was spinning and a cloying mix of powerful emotions was squeezing her chest, restricting her breathing and rising like a lump in her throat. She did not know what to think. Riley was staring back, but hers were not the only eyes Luna could feel watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled and she shivered, choosing to stare at her scales instead of any of the four others in the room.

It was Katie who responded first by laying a hand over her own. Luna’s head jerked up to meet the gaze of her best friend, for once feeling so overwhelmed that Katie’s comforting smile was not enough to alleviate her distress.

Katie’s expression dipped into a frown and her fingers tightened around Luna’s. “Are you okay?”

Despite attempting to maintain composure, Luna felt her lip quiver and she turned away as her eyes filled with tears. She chewed on her lip and curled her fingers into fists. An emptiness was swelling up inside her chest, choking her.

“Kera,” Riley called again, her voice much softer than before. Luna forced herself to meet the older Mer’s gaze. Riley’s light blue eyes were clouded with concern. “What is wrong?”

Luna shook her head, as tears rolled down her cheeks. “You. This. Me,” Luna whimpered. “I should remember you. I should remember who I am. That name, it means nothing to me. It should mean _something._ Why did it not trigger anything?”

“Oh, honey, no,” Sophie chimed in, leaning closer and reaching a hand out. Luna shied away from the contact and hugged her arms. She did not want consoling for the moment.

“Luna-Kera,” Lewis fumbled with a sigh. “The mind doesn’t work that way, kiddo. You have endured so much pain and stress for so long. You might not ever remember much of the past.”

Luna bowed her head and tried her best to smother a sob, her tears flowing more rapidly. The empty hole in her chest had been there so long she had almost forgotten it existed. Now that it was prominent and pulsing like a ragged wound, she wanted desperately for it to heal, not remain to continue tormenting her.

She heard the mattress creek. “Riley, if you tear your stitches,” Sophie’s voice was strict and laced with warning.

“My stitches are fine,” came an equally clipped reply. “Kera, look at me.” The instruction was firm enough that Luna could not help but obey. Riley had leaned close, her gaze narrowed. Luna started to shy away, but Riley’s hand shot out and grabbed her firmly by the chin.

Luna froze, her heart thudding wildly in her chest and fear licking up her throat. She was overwhelmed with the desire she had been frequently accompanied by back at the institution, to shy away and hiss. The urge faltered when Riley leaned closer until their foreheads touched.

“You do not have to remember, Kera. Not me, not your name, nor anything else. What matters is that you are alive, you are going to go home and make better memories.”

“She’s right,” Katie agreed. Her voice momentarily drew Luna’s attention away from Riley. Her best friend was smiling softly and reached out to grab Luna’s hand again. She squeezed the fingers tenderly and Luna’s lips twitched, threatening to smile too. She watched Katie test the new name out. “Kera. It’s pretty. It suits you. You’ve waited for this for so long; to know who you are, where you belong. Now you have that chance; don’t sour the moment with tears for a past you can’t change. Smile. This is a good thing,” Katie pressed. Luna shook her head, she was not so sure she agreed, though her traitorous mouth was still trying to obey Katie’s request. Katie shrugged and grinned, and her tongue poked out between her teeth. “Fine then. _Don’t_ smile.”

The moment she said it, Luna lost the battle and a massive smile erupted across her face and she giggled, even as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. Lewis dropped a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, and she directed her smile up at him. Then Sophie was grabbing her around the waist and tugging her close. Luna squeaked in surprise, but instantly relaxed into the warm hug she was folded into.

“You’re going to be fine, Luna,” Sophie assured her, hugging tighter. “It’s okay to mourn lost memories, but it’s also okay to still be happy about the good news now. No one will blame you for not remembering much about who you used to be. Who you are now is pretty great too, okay?”

Luna nodded and closed her eyes for a moment, choosing to enjoy the comfort that Sophie’s strong arms brought. “Thanks Sophie,” she murmured, snuggling closer to the woman. Sophie rubbed her arm in response and Luna felt her shift slightly.

“Now, Riley I’m not going to ask again. Lay back and mind your stitches. If they tear, I’ll make you lay in bed until they dissolve, which is going to be a lot longer than a day from now.” Sophie’s warning rung with finality and Luna watched the older girl hastily twist back into a proper semi reclined position and rest her hands on her scale-line.

“Happy?” Riley challenged.

“Yes,” Sophie agreed. “So, the two of you are related? That’s certainly a miracle. I’m glad we got so lucky, but doesn’t that create the problem of you having to go back?”

Luna watched Riley wince openly and shrug. “It has to be done,” she responded simply.

“Yes, but you mentioned you are not welcome back with your pod. What sort of consequences will there be?” Sophie pressed. Luna twisted her head to glance up at Sophie’s furrowed brows and narrowed eyes, then back to Riley. Not welcome? What had happened? It suddenly made her feel very nervous and her gut clenched. If Riley’s pod – her pod – were the type to banish one of their own, would they even accept her?

Riley chewed her lip for a moment. “It is a risk,” she began. “And I may have to fight, but not to the extent I just did. My pod does not kill unless forced. But Kera they will welcome with open arms and that is all that matters. I will take the risk in order to reunite mother and daughter.”

Sophie sighed. “I don’t like the idea of you taking that risk so far from medical attention, especially not after what just happened. Will you let us come with you? We can stay far enough back not to alarm them, but I’d feel better about you having a quick out to flee to if necessary.”

Riley shook her head. “If it was to that point, I would not make it back regardless. And my people are not social when it comes to humans and the first instinct will be to protect their own. If they were to perceive your boat as a threat, you would be in danger as well.” She sighed and picked at her scales.

Luna wanted to inquire and a glance at Sophie’s face implied the woman shared the desire to pry. When Riley closed her eyes and slumped, however, Luna held onto her questions. “It is a risk I will have to take on my own,” Riley continued after a moment of silence. “You will all stay here.”

“But don’t you at least need to take Lu-Kera with you?” Katie jumped in. “And I think I’d like to come too. I don’t know yet how I fit into anything, but she means a lot to me and if you’ll both let me, I’d like to come along and meet your family.” Katie’s gaze flicked to Luna’s at the last statement and Luna nodded. She wrung her fingers, silently relieved that Katie wanted to come.

“I must go alone,” Riley decided with a shake of her head. “Under normal circumstances, I would be taking Kera with me and you would be welcome to tag along, but these are not normal circumstances. It is a migratory season; our pod will be on the move. I can find them, but it will take me longer than it should. All Mer have a sense, something we just sort of feel inside that can guide us back to our families. I imagine Kera’s has faded after so long, but my own has been throttled by-”

“By what?” Sophie inquired when Riley trailed off.

Riley glanced up and smiled, the expression wry and partially a grimace, though her eyes were bright. “By the fact that I have a new family now. My sense does not call me out to sea to rejoin my pod as they migrate. Mine calls me back here, back home.” Riley’s cheeks colored and she glanced away, but Luna smiled.

She was happy that the Mer found a place that made her happy, where she felt she belonged. Though she did not really remember Riley, the longer the girl talked, the more she felt familiar. Luna wanted her to be happy.

“I can find my pod still, if I must, but it will be harder to block out the instinct that calls much louder. Kera, you have not spent enough time in the ocean. Following a boat at the surface does not count as proper travel. To reach our pod, I will have to current hop and you cannot safely follow. I will take the risk and go. I will bring your mother here to you.”

Luna blinked, staring at Riley in awe for a moment. Just as she opened her mouth to ask a question, Sophie spoke up. “Absolutely not. We’ll figure something else out. The only reason I was entertaining it earlier was because Kera was going to be with you; they might be more receptive to you bringing her home, but I don’t like the idea of you going alone – especially since you seem to be anticipating a fight,” Sophie refused. Luna carefully untangled herself from the woman’s grasp, which had just squeezed her painfully tight. For the moment, Sophie didn’t seem to notice much as she shifted closer to Riley, her expression pained. “Your life isn’t something to just toy with, Riley; you’re already hurt and getting yourself killed is no way to help Kera or anyone else. There has got to be another way. We can go with you; I know you can easily outswim a boat, but at least Kera wouldn’t have to swim far and you won’t have to go far to return. I don’t mind taking the trip.”

Riley shook her head and sighed. She stretched out both hands and cupped Sophie’s face. “I appreciate your worry, Sophie, but you cannot catch a migrating Mer pod on a boat. Once they reach the settling grounds, there is no way to join them. There will be many Mer and the grounds are secluded and loners are not welcome. You come with your pod or not at all. It is how they protect themselves. Either I go alone now, or we wait until the next cycle when they return,” Riley insisted. “There is no other way; it will already be a race to catch up with how far behind my injury is going to put me.”

“I don’t like it,” Sophie responded. Luna watched her shoulders slump and winced. She found herself picking at her scales. It was hard not to feel like a burden to the people around her. Everything they were discussing, planning, was because she was unable to help herself; they had to help her and she felt guilty about it.

“There’s still some time before Riley will be able to go,” Lewis chimed in. “We could potentially figure something else out, but I think in this case, Soph, we have to trust that Riley knows what she’s doing and how to handle this situation. It is her family.”

“Thank you, Lewis,” Riley agreed.

Luna chewed her lip. She wanted them to stop disagreeing and stressing over her. She had waited so long, but she could wait a little longer if she had to. The thing that couldn’t wait, however, still burned on her tongue like scalding water. “Riley?” Though she barely whispered the name, Riley’s attention snapped to her instantly. “Will you – will you tell me about my mother?” she asked, her voice still soft, but full of hope. She was desperate to know something, anything that could help her reconnect.

Riley’s smile was gentle as it stretched across her lips, and her eyes softened, crinkling in the corners. Her head dipped and she leaned back on the pillow behind her. Her fins flicked and gestured for Luna to continue. “Of course, Kera; anything for you, little cousin.”

“Why don’t we go into the living room then,” Sophie suggested. “You girls can get comfortable on the couches and have some breakfast while you talk. Riley, we’ll get you situated so you’re propped up and can relax. I am still concerned about too much strenuous movement.” She reached out and brushed Riley’s bangs off her face, tucking them behind her ears, and then sighed. “I guess you have even more reason to recover quickly now”

Luna jumped as Katie whistled sharply, the sound even more shrill through her fangs. “Wow, she’s letting you off bedrest early, must be special,” she teased.

“A whole day early,” Riley agreed.

“It’s basically a miracle.”

“That’s enough you two,” Sophie sighed. “Riley is still on bedrest, I’m just willing to let her rest on the couch if she can be still and calm enough.”

“Boring,” Riley grumbled with a dramatic roll of her eyes. “But it will suffice.” She grinned and Luna found herself smiling too. Riley was very energetic, and Luna was infatuated. She wanted to learn more and interact with her cousin as much as possible.

“You’re impossible,” Sophie muttered with a shake of her head. She rose from the bed and Luna twisted to look up at her as she laid a hand on her shoulder. Sophie smiled down at her. “You want a ride down the hall?”

Luna didn’t get a chance to answer as Sophie was already leaning down and scooping her up. Instinctively, Luna laced her arms around the woman’s neck as her tail was hoisted up and settled against Sophie’s torso. Taking a deep breath, Luna rested her chin on Sophie’s shoulder and closed her eyes. The woman was warm and Luna trusted her completely. She was able to relax as she was held. It was nice and she would not protest to being held like that more often. She twisted her head so that her nose was nuzzled into the crook of Sophie’s neck. The woman smelled of strawberries and sand, and Luna loved it. When Sophie brought one hand up and rubbed Luna’s spine under her hair, she sighed softly.

“You go ahead; I’ve got Riley. You okay to get down the hall on your own, Kiddo?” Lewis asked.

Luna opened one eye to see Katie nod and spin the wheelchair she was sitting in back around. “Yup, I’m good,” she stated as she rolled out of the room. Sophie turned to follow her, and Luna watched Lewis lean over Riley before her view was obscured as Sophie turned the corner.

Luna carefully positioned an apple slice on the surface of her waffle, turning it slightly and grinning. She sat back on her tail and glanced at Katie, who was in the process of taking a bite of her food. “Look.” Luna gestured at the waffle on her plate. “It is happy.” She had used blueberries and the apple slice to make a smiley face on the breakfast pastry.

Katie chuckled and nodded. “Yes. Now eat it,” she encouraged.

Luna’s smile slipped and she shook her head solemnly. “No.”

Katie cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. “Why not? You should try it, waffles are good.”

“I cannot eat it,” Luna protested. “It has a smile.”

Katie coughed, her hand flying to her mouth as she fought back laugher through a mouthful of food. Once she calmed, she reached out and twisted the apple slice upside down. “Now it has a frown; eat,” she instructed.

“I agree, Kera,” Riley stated. Luna watched her eat a slice of apple from the plate balanced on her tail, which was covered by a thin blanket. She had to stretch a little to reach the contents of the platter, but Luna imagined it was less a hassle than the discomfort of resting the plate over her injuries would be. “You should eat. The food is good, and you would be missing out not to enjoy your meal.” Riley maintained eye contact as she spoke, and Luna found herself shrinking slightly under the gaze. It was not harsh or unkind, but Riley felt so wild and knowing that Luna could not help the feelings of inadequacy and embarrassment that surged whenever Riley stared at her.

Her cheeks burned and she averted her gaze, staring down at the waffles. She reached out and plucked the apple slice off her plate. As she chewed it, she could not help but smile. It was a silly notion, to refuse food simply because she was playing with it, but it had felt good to just relax and play. She never got much opportunity growing up to just enjoy being a child.

When she had finished the fruit, she picked up a triangle of the waffle and clutched it between both hands to nibble on. She flicked her fin in delight. They were both right. Waffles were delicious. Luna purred as she took another bite and heard Katie and Riley both begin to laugh. Her blush deepened and she shifted her weight, but she chose to ignore them in favor of another bite.

When she had devoured the section of waffle, she finally looked back up at Riley, her attention shifting back to the conversation they had started. “Riley-” she took a deep, shaky breath. “What is my mother like?”

Riley was silent for a moment, but her soft, fond smile spoke volumes. “Your mother, my aunt, was the person who always supported me and had my back; no matter what. She is a healer among our family, one with a tender heart and a big smile. And she has a no-nonsense strictness with regards to treatment that rivals Sophie’s. But more than anything, she loved you. It broke her heart to lose you.”

Luna stared at her scales and began to pick at them, chewing on her lip trying to keep the tears at bay. She did not remember her mother, but the knowledge that she hurt her – that she caused others pain – was gut wrenching. “I did not mean to hurt anyone.”

The words had barely left her lips when Katie’s arms were around her. She closed her eyes, a few tears leaking past as her friend pulled her down into her lap. Luna pressed her cheek against Katie’s scales and shuddered. She did not protest when Katie began to pet her hair and rub her shoulder.

“Kera, it was not your fault,” Riley pressed. Katie made a noise of agreement in the back of her throat. “You were so young, and more importantly; you are alive. You are alive and she is going to be overjoyed. Do not torment yourself over truths that are irrelevant; you have endured enough pain.”

Luna took a deep breath and released it slowly. Her heart ached, but she knew they were right. It had been a long time since she had truly felt a longing for her mother; she had not allowed herself that sort of hope for a comfort she could only imagine rather than remember, but the yearning yawned in her chest now, gaping and bloody. “What was her name?” she asked. The urge to know more grew with the yearning and that was at least something she could satisfy.

Riley’s smile returned. “Rebecca,” she answered. “Her name is Rebecca.”

Luna closed her eyes and allowed the name to echo in her mind. It meant very little to her, but she wanted to mull it regardless. She tried to conjure a memory of her mother, anything at all. She had no memory of her face or anything she may have said, any interaction they might have shared. Only one thing came to mind and it felt minimal, but she voiced it regardless. “Riley, are her scales…green?” She stared at Riley expectantly, and felt a surge of emotion when her cousin’s head dipped forward.

“Yes,” she responded. “Deep green, like kelp. You remember.”

“Nothing else,” Luna sighed with a shake of her head. “I feel like I should remember more.”

“You remember something,” Katie pointed out. Her hand squeezed Luna’s shoulder and then moved to tuck some hair behind her ear. Luna curled her fingers into a loose fist as Katie returned to rubbing her back. “You remember so little and from what you’ve told me; a lot of that is fuzzy too. It’s okay that you don’t remember everything, I highly doubt that will be held against you after everything you’ve been through.”

“Of course not,” Riley agreed with a dip of her head. “As I said, you have plenty of time to make new memories, Kera; to grow close once more with the family you used to know and love.”

As Riley spoke, Luna raised her head off Katie’s scales as a thought occurred to her. She knew she had a mother – and now knew she had a cousin – but she had not inquired about any other family members. “Do I have a father?” she inquired hesitantly.

Riley nodded. “Yes. His name is Ixion. I am not surprised you do not remember him though. He was not around much in the last year you were with us.”

“Why not?” Luna asked, though she was hesitant to. Part of her feared the worst and her heart clenched at the idea of a death taking her father from her; she couldn’t remember him and would never get the chance to get to know him if that was the case.

Luna’s throat constricted when Riley clenched her jaw and averted her gaze. “Riley?” she pressed, despite fearing the answer.

Riley sighed softly, her shoulders sagging. “Your father was not around very much at that time because he was away from the pod. He was travelling, searching for your brother Nero. Nero went missing about a year before you did. It was with no warning and my uncle Ixion refused to give up or accept that he met a tragic fate, so he kept looking,” Riley explained.

Luna nodded. Part of her was grateful that her father was alright, the other part saddened at the disappearance of the brother she also had no memory of. She wondered if he had gone missing under similar circumstances to her own. She hoped not; no one deserved the fate she and Katie had endured. “Did he ever find him?” she inquired.

Riley shook her head. “When I was last with our pod, he had not; he had stopped looking at that point. Nero would not have stayed away so long if he had survived. He had been part of a small hunting party that got trapped in a particularly violent tempest. They were all separated, but only two made it back and they were badly injured. Nero was one of two others who did not return. Your mother and father will be overjoyed to have you home, Kera. It has been hard on them to lose both children, especially to such mysterious causes. As soon as I am healed, I will go to them and bring them here to you. Your ordeal is over, and you will be reunited with the family that has always loved you very shortly.”

Luna nodded again and forced a smile. Katie draped her arm across Luna’s shoulders and Luna felt warmth surge in her chest when she was squeezed close. She was happy – excited even – at the prospect of a reunion. But she was also terrified and her heart hammered in her chest at the thought. She did not know these people, did not remember them, and it was clear they had lost a lot. She would likely be a disappointment, a fragmented shell of the daughter they once had and likely wanted back. She did not want to let anyone down.

Luna closed her eyes and bit down on the inside of her cheek. She did not want to shed anymore tears. Katie and Riley would press her then, try to comfort her, but she did not want it. The inner turmoil would not so easily be settled. Their words would be kind and caring, but they would not help solve the problem before her. She looked at herself, marred by trauma and hidden scars, twisted up from the child she had been, ripped from the family she could not remember. There was no undoing that. When she looked, all she saw was the creature the scientists had turned her into, and that creature was ugly and skittish and disappointing.


	9. Identity

Katie sighed as she stared off at one wall, her cheek propped on a fist as she leaned against the arm of the couch. Her tail half curled beneath her and Luna was sprawled across it. The younger Mer had laid back down a little while ago and now Katie was stroking her hair absently. Luna’s deep breathing implied sleep, though she couldn’t see her face without jostling her. She certainly hoped she was sleeping; she had seemed very downcast earlier and certainly needed the rest.

Katie glanced over at Riley, who was sprawled out on the opposite couch. She was staring up at the ceiling. Her light blue gaze slowly slid to Katie and she smiled. “She asleep?” she inquired, her voice barely above a whisper as she nodded in Luna’s direction.

“I think so,” Katie replied just as softly. She ran her fingers through her friend’s tresses once more. She stirred beneath Katie’s touch, her fingers curling into fists and a soft whine slipping from her throat. Katie continued to rub Luna’s head. “It’s okay, you’re okay,” she murmured. She hoped the disturbance wouldn’t escalate to a full-blown nightmare. Gradually, Luna fell still once more, and Katie sighed with relief.

“Poor girl.” Katie glanced up at Riley’s solemn tone and found her eyes glistening as she stared at Luna.

“Yeah, well none of this has been easy,” Katie sighed. She ran a hand through her hair to push the locks off her face.

“I do not contest that,” Riley acknowledged. “It certainly sounds like you both endured a living nightmare. Our family should have protected her better; it would have prevented the hardships you both experienced,” she trailed off for a moment and picked at one of her scales. “I would have met you while you would have been human.”

Katie paused and cocked her head slightly as she mulled the statement. “I guess you are right, you and I probably still would have met.”

Riley dipped her head and grinned widely. “I probably would not have had to answer so many questions.”

Katie paused to consider that before shaking her head. She knew her natural curiosity would have gotten the better of her. “Honestly, I probably would have asked you more questions,” she admitted. She smiled when Riley’s grin grew, and the other Mer began to chuckle and shake her head.

“There is no escaping that, then.”

Katie nodded, then glanced down at Luna still sprawled in her lap. Her arms were wrapped around Katie’s waist and though her breathing was even, Katie knew she was awake; listening to them and probably lost in her own thoughts about everything that had happened. “That place was awful, and I do wish that it had never happened to either of us; but I don’t regret everything,” Katie clarified to them both. She felt Luna’s grip around her hips tighten and she resumed gently stroking the young Mer’s long brown strands.

“No, I suppose not,” Riley agreed. “As soon as I have healed, I must swim swiftly to catch up with our pod. When I return, you should come out with me; I will teach you what I can of our ways. You are human by birth and by nature, but you must learn to be Mer as well if you are to survive in this strange life you have been given.”

“I would appreciate that,” Katie agreed. She was not certain she wanted to learn some of the things that being a Mer seemed to involve; there was no desire to catch a fish in her jaws again. But she knew it was probably important to know. If she had to suddenly take to the ocean for any reason, she would need to know how to survive, even if some of the teachings were a little less than desirable to learn and her future teacher happened to have a wide grin of anticipation that made Katie a little nervous to engage with her. Her gaze drifted to the spines that stuck out along Riley’s forearms. Despite the relaxed, almost limp posture, they still looked wicked sharp. She had a sinking suspicion that learning to defend herself would be one of the lessons Riley would want to teach, and she hoped – when the time came – that the girl would choose not to utilize the deadly looking knives.

Katie was broken from her reverie when the door to the apartment swung open on squeaky hinges. At first, she flinched on instinct, only to relax when Sophie walked back through the door. Lewis was close behind her, his fingers curled around her free hand. Katie smiled at the sight; she was glad they were happy and that his knowledge of her survival had not strained their relationship for long.

Sophie glanced their way and her expression softened when she looked at Luna. She nodded towards the reclined Mer, then met Katie’s gaze. ‘She asleep?’ she mouthed.

Katie shook her head.

Instantly, Sophie’s expression morphed into a frown and her eyes glazed. “Everything okay?” she asked. She spoke softly, as if trying not to disturb anyone.

“Yeah,” Katie responded. She had known Luna long enough now to know that she would not want to be fussed over or questioned about what was bothering her. She had to work it out on her own before she would talk about it; Katie would ask later.

Sophie made her way around the couch and took a seat on the arm, by Riley’s head. Her hand reached out and she brushed some of Riley’s hair back off her face. “And how are you doing?”

Riley craned her head to looked at Sophie and grinned. “I am fine, Sophie; you need not worry.”

“There’s always something to worry about with you three,” Lewis spoke up. “You certainly like to keep us on our toes.” He came around Sophie’s other side and gently squeezed her shoulders. The woman leaned her head against him and hummed in agreement. 

“I think I’ll feel a little better when we’re out of this apartment and somewhere more private. This place is too small and there’s nowhere for you girls to properly hide or get away if trouble did come knocking.” She reached out and tapped Riley on the head. “And of course, you managing to come home without fresh maiming all the time would certainly help with my stress levels.”

“I will take that into consideration,” Riley countered. “But what do you mean by ‘out of the apartment’? I thought you did not wish us to venture out much in case suspicions are aroused?”

“We’re going to move, Riley. Staying in the apartments here was fine when it was just Katie and I because I work here, and it wasn’t far from her school; but it’s much too small and inconvenient for all of us. I’d rather we move to a home that has easier ocean access, more space, and is a lot more private. It’s time. I’d like you to come out with us before you go back out to sea. I know time is of the essence to reach your family, but if you leave from the docks, you’ll be better able to find your way back, won’t you?”

Riley nodded. “I will be able to find my way back, yes. I do not want to linger longer than necessary, however. If I must, I can track you down after.”

Sophie shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. You’re not going to be able to take to the water for at least a week or your wound will reopen. We’re going to be heading out in four days. You can leave from there.”

“You found a place that quickly?” Katie finally spoke up. She shifted her weight to lean forward slightly. The motion seemed to startle Luna, who jerked up and scooted back onto her own seat. “It’s only been a day.”

As Sophie rose from her seat on the arm of the opposite couch and made her way over, Katie watched her carefully. There was a kindling of hope burning in her chest at the notion that things could change so quickly. The apartment no longer felt like home, it felt a pitstop, a pathetic attempt at a hiding place as they lay in wait for the Lemuria Institute to return and claim them once more. She needed a change in environment desperately. Sophie took a seat on the coffee table between them and leaned forward until their foreheads pressed together. Katie closed her eyes and sighed as some of the tension slipped away.

“I’ve actually been looking for a while, Kate; I just didn’t want to say anything until I was certain the offer would go through. The deal closes tomorrow, and we can move in three days after that. I think you should spend part of today packing up your room. There’s going to be a lot of boxing going on the next two days,” Sophie explained.

Katie dipped her head, the hope in her heart growing with the kindling being fed to it. “I can do that.”

“Good. You should get started; I’ll have some boxes brought up. Lewis and I are going to start packing up things out here. Everything but the non-essentials.”

Katie glanced over when she felt Luna’s hand on her tail. The younger Mer smiled softly and blinked. “I will help.” The statement, though spoken gently, was insistent, so Katie returned the smile. It would give her a chance to discuss a few things with her. She seemed very down about news that should be thrilling, and Katie wanted to know why. Luna had a way of masking her feelings and suffering in silence when it wasn’t necessary. It was a habit Katie knew came from years of torture and solitary confinement, and she knew it would be especially difficult to break Luna of.

“I would appreciate the help,” Katie agreed.

“What can I do?” Riley inquired.

Lewis dropped a hand on her head and ruffled the light blonde locks into a staticky frizz. “Exactly what you have been doing.”

Everyone began to laugh at the low growl that rumbled in Riley’s chest in response. The girl folded her arms over her chest scales and flicked her fins, while her eyebrows pulled together and her lips pursed into a scowl.

***

Katie reached up and unpinned another two photos from the bulletin board. She dropped the pins into a container beside her on the desk. She was perched on the top, with her tail tucked under her so she could reach the board. The muscles in her arms had grown strong and corded over the past few weeks from having to haul her weight out of the wheelchair and onto various pieces of furniture, so climbing up hadn’t been much of a hassle. She could hear her scales scraping against the polished wood with every movement, however and knew the desk was likely to be destroyed. She was not too torn up, however, having chosen not to pack it down and bring it along. It made her a little sad, but she had little need for it now, with no schoolwork to do.

She pulled a few more photos free and passed them to Luna, who was stacking them and wrapping elastic bands around them before putting them into a large shoebox. “You want to talk about it?” Katie inquired as she reached for a few more pictures.

“No,” Luna replied. She wrapped an elastic around the photo stack in her hands and dropped them into the box.

Katie sighed and began pulling more off the wall. The silence returned for a few minutes as neither of them spoke back up. Katie chewed her lip as she continued taking the photos down. “Hey,” she finally spoke back up. When Luna finally glanced up at her, Katie met her gaze firmly. “Talk to me. What’s wrong?”

Luna sighed and pushed some hair behind her ear. “There is nothing wrong, Katie; I am just feeling a little overwhelmed with everything. I wish I remembered more is all.”

Katie raised an eyebrow and stared down the girl she’d come to view as a younger sister. There was something she was holding back. Under the scrutinizing gaze, Luna whimpered and tears watered in her eyes. She ducked her head before glancing back up. “What…What if-” when she broke off, Katie reached down to place her palm on her head in reassurance. “What if they do not like me?”

“What do you mean? Why would they not like you, Kera?” The name flowed easily this time. She was glad that her friend had a proper identity now, rather than a temporary name.

“Because I am not their daughter,” Kera murmured. Katie watched her pick at her scales and frowned.

“You think Riley is wrong about your identity? She seemed very certain,” Katie inquired. She supposed it was possible; they had all eagerly jumped on the idea.

“No. No, I think she is right that I used to be,” Kera sighed. Her shoulders slumped and when she glanced up from her tail, tears were making steady tracks down her cheeks.

“You still are,” Katie assured her. She wiped a few of the tears from Kera’s cheeks and slid down off the desk onto the floor. She curled up beside Kera’s wheelchair and wrapped her arms around her distraught friend. “It’s okay.”

“No, Katie,” Kera whimpered. “You do not understand. Their daughter was six years old. Her name was Kera. She was happy and healthy and probably pretty.”

Katie squeezed her tighter. “You’re pretty.”

Kera shook her head and swallowed. “I am scarred and mangled and traumatized. I have nightmares every night and I wake everyone else up with me. I do not know anything about who I was, I do not know how to survive out in the ocean properly,” she sobbed. “I do not even know how to just relax and play like children are supposed to. I would be nothing but a disappointment.”

Katie sighed and rubbed Kera’s arm. It was clear that her friend was seriously struggling with the day’s events and her own self esteem. “Okay, come here,” Katie ordered. She pulled Kera forward until they were both sprawled on the floor, their tails half tangled overtop one another. She then squeezed the young girl as tightly as she could. “First of all, you are not a disappointment. Despite everything they did to you, Kera, they could never fully break you. You have more determination and strength than you give yourself credit for. You have a big heart and a beautiful smile and you’re the best friend and little sister anyone could ask for,” Katie pressed. “You’re not a disappointment, Kera, you never will be.”

Though she’d meant the words to be comforting, the response she got startled Katie. Kera squeezed her tightly and broke down into heavier sobs. They wracked her body as she buried her nose into Katie’s chest. Katie’s heart clenched and she hugged the younger girl back, wondering what it was she said that set her off so badly. For a few minutes, all she could do was hold her, her mind reeling. She had never failed quite so spectacularly when trying to offer comfort and couldn’t help but feel like she was a partial cause for Kera’s distress.

The sobbing was not quiet, and it didn’t take long to draw Sophie’s attention. She appeared in the doorway not long after it began. Katie met her gaze helplessly and like the miracle worker she was, Sophie strode in and took over. “Okay, okay, come here honey, it’s okay,” she murmured as she knelt and gently peeled Kera away from Katie. She twisted the girl towards her and picked her up. The way Kera latched instantly made Katie’s stomach flip. She wasn’t sure what was devastating Kera quite so much but seeing her friend in such distress was breaking her heart.

Sophie took a seat on the edge of the bed and began to rub Kera’s back. As she rocked the young Mer gently, Katie pulled herself a little bit closer. She wanted to be there for support if she could, even if she wasn’t much help at the moment.

She listened as Sophie began to hum softly. She remembered the tune; she never knew what song it was from, but Sophie used to hum it to her too, when she would wake in distress from nightmares as a child. Katie closed her eyes and joined in.

After a few minutes, Kera’s cries gradually faded into soft whimpers and sniffles. At that point, Sophie began to stroke her hair. “Today has been a lot, hasn’t it?” she said, half speaking into Kera’s hair. “There’s been a lot of overwhelming information thrown at you, huh? It all moved so fast and we jumped on board with it…we never really slowed down to talk to you properly about any of it, did we?”

“I-I just-” Kera’s voice was watery and ragged, and she broke off after barely managing two words.

Instantly, Sophie hushed her and hugged her close. “It’s okay. You don’t have to try to explain. Kera…” she trailed off, as if musing over the name. “You know, as pretty as the name is…no one stopped to ask if that was what you wanted, we just assumed.” Sophie paused as if letting the statement hang for a moment. “Is it?”

When Kera shook her head, Katie began to understand. “It is not who I am,” Kera murmured.

Sophie nodded. “It doesn’t have to be,” she agreed.

“No?”

Sophie clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Of course not. It’s just a name, sweetheart, nothing more. The only one it needs to mean anything to is you. Kera comes with too many expectations you don’t remember, doesn’t it? You don’t have to fill any roles for anyone; you just have to be you, Luna.”

Katie watched with watery eyes as more tears spilled down her friend’s cheeks. She wished she had a better understanding of why the name had truly upset her so deeply, but now was not the time to ask. Despite her tears, a massive smile erupted on Luna’s face as she hugged Sophie again. “Thank you.” Luna had whispered it so quietly, Katie barely caught it, but Sophie nodded and wrapped her arms around the young Mer once more.

Katie reached out and took Luna’s hand, startling the girl into looking at her again. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I just remember that promise I made back when we first met, that I wasn’t trying to name you, that whatever your real name was, I had every intention of respecting it when we learned it. I just assumed that was what you would want when Riley said it earlier; I should have asked. Of all people, I should have asked, should have known better.”

“It is okay,” Luna whispered back. “I was not very clear about what was bothering me, what still bothers me; but I do not think my fears are ones that can be reassured, not here. I do not think I really knew either how much the name hurt, how much I hated it. How did you?” Luna turned the last bit back at Sophie.

Katie watched her mother grin and shrug. “I’m a mother, we know everything.”

“Really?” Luna inquired.

Sophie laughed and shook her head before winking. “No, but we put up a good front, don’t you think?”

When Luna giggled, Katie smiled. She was going to be okay. There was still something she was holding back, but Katie had a feeling it was something she couldn’t share until she worked it out herself. She squeezed Luna’s fingers to draw her sister’s attention back. “They won’t be disappointed,” she pressed again. “How could they be?”

Luna’s smile faltered. Gratitude shone in her eyes, but it was mixed with those same fears. Sophie nodded. “Katie is right; your family will be happy that you are alive and coming home, nothing else will matter.”

“But what if-”

Sophie cut Luna’s attempt off with a raised hand. “If, for whatever unfathomable reason, there’s a problem with who you are, Luna; you always have a home and family with us. You will never be alone again, I promise.”

The three sat and savored the tender moment for a little while until they heard the front door reopen and Lewis began calling Sophie’s name. Sophie sighed and gently shifted Luna aside. “Duty calls,” she teased. “You girls okay in here?”

Katie shrugged. “I think I’ll follow you out, actually. I could use some water. You want to come or stay here, Luna?”

“I will come,” Luna agreed. “Sophie…do you think Riley will be okay with me wanting to go by Luna?”

Sophie sighed and leaned down to hoist Luna back into her arms. “There’s only one way to find out, and you have to be the one to tell her.”

“Hey, wait up at least,” Katie protested as Sophie began to walk out of the room. She was not truly offended, but it was still rather annoying to have to drag herself across the floor and back into the wheelchair. Sophie lingered in the doorway as she settled herself back into place and spun the chair around. Luna had twisted around to rest her chin on Sophie’s shoulder and was peering down at Katie with her tongue between her teeth. Katie grinned and stuck her tongue out as well. “Yeah yeah, laugh it up,” she taunted. “Mom, you should drop her on her sorry scaly butt.”

Luna’s wide grin and glistening fangs spoke volumes for her. She had been starved of affection for years prior to meeting Katie and had developed an intense love for being cuddled and held. Sophie fed that desire heavily, just as Katie did, and Luna was not even slightly sorry at earning a ride while Katie got herself down the hall.

“The both of you had better behave,” Sophie warned playfully. “Neither of you are too old to ground.”

“Ground?” Luna inquired.

Sophie’s footsteps faltered for a moment, allowing Katie to fully catch up in the chair. They shared a glance and both burst out laughing. “Punish,” Sophie clarified. Katie watched her hand move, but it wasn’t until Luna began to squirm and squeal that she realized Sophie was tickling her. Katie shook her head and chuckled as she wheeled herself the rest of the way out into the living room where Riley was still sprawled on the couch. Lewis was standing near her, with one arm leaned against the back of the couch. There was a new figure in the room as well, shifting awkwardly in the wheelchair Riley had come in on. It had since been scrubbed down of the blood from her wound and now the Mer who helped bring her home was perched in it.

“Hello Torren,” Katie greeted with a small wave. He raised a hand back at her, the appendage coated in the same dark red scales that covered a fair amount of his torso along with his tail. “Welcome back.”

Torren dipped his head at her, then in Sophie’s direction. “I do not mean to intrude. I merely wished to check in,” as he spoke, he turned his attention to Riley. “Glad to see you survived; you were lucky.”

Riley shook her head and grinned. “There is no luck here,” she countered. “It is skill alone.”

“Oh yeah? And who’s skills are we referring to?” Lewis inquired.

Katie laughed as Riley flushed. “Okay, so perhaps it was a group effort,” Riley relented.

“Reckless.”

Instantly, Riley’s gaze whipped back to Torren and her eyebrow raised. “Excuse me?” Her tone was suddenly much colder, and Katie flinched. Previously she had seen only amusement and content from Riley, but the Mer was far from thrilled now and her icy gaze narrowed dangerously. Katie felt a little bad for Torren.

He didn’t seem overly fazed, however and shrugged calmly. “Squabbling with a quib while outnumbered, even if you are older and more capable, is reckless. You are lucky to have only come out with the injuries you did.”

“I did not go looking for that fight, but if you are seeking one,” Riley growled. Her fins flicked and the spines on Riley’s arms flexed as if eager to dig into flesh. Katie shifted awkwardly in her seat. Luna, who had been silent through the conversation, sat on the couch with an owl-eyed expression. For a moment, the tension hanging in the room was cloying.

Finally, Sophie stepped forward between the two. “I think what Riley means to say is ‘thank you’. Thank you for bringing her home, Torren; we’re glad she’s safe and lucky you were around.”

“That is actually not what I meant at all,” Riley protested. She crossed her arms and shot an annoyed glare at Sophie that made Katie chuckle, then flinch as the glare was suddenly redirected at her. Katie raised her hands in defense and leaned back; she wanted no part in their spat.

“You would lose a fight now,” Torren pointed out. “You are stubborn and foolish; you should find a travelling companion to keep your arrogance in check.”

“Are you offering?” Riley inquired, one slender eyebrow raising as she refocused on her apparent new rival.

Torren didn’t respond immediately. Instead he blinked slowly and then shook his head. “No. I have prior responsibilities and you are hardly worth the hassle.”

Riley scoffed and bared her fangs at the insult.

“You owe me a fish,” Torren added, clearly unfazed by the aggression.

At the statement, Riley’s snarl faltered and a wide grin split her lips in its place. She dipped her head. “I suppose I do,” she agreed.

Torren nodded. “Three moons from now, on the new; forty strokes west of the battleground.”

“Fair,” Riley agreed.

Katie’s head was spinning as she watched the two wild Mer interact. One moment, they appeared at each other’s throats, then were making plans to meet again as if they were old friends rather than acquaintances that an emergency situation thrust together. She knew there were many things about Mer customs and social cues that she did not yet understand, but this exchange made them even more obvious.

“Torren, would you like to join us this evening for food?” Sophie offered. “We’re happy to have you.”

“That is a kind offer and it is appreciated, but I cannot linger,” Torren refused with a shake of his head. “I returned to make sure Riley was in recovery, but I am swimming to meet my sister and her mate; she is with child and they require an escort to our pod’s traditional birthing grounds. I must head off now to reach them before nightfall.”

“We won’t keep you then,” Sophie agreed.

“I can show you back down,” Lewis offered. He didn’t wait for a response as he walked over and spun the wheelchair around.

Torren dipped his head at Lewis, then turned to do the same towards Sophie. “I appreciate your hospitality; take care of the willful one.”

“We will,” Sophie agreed with a smile. “Take care of yourself out there.”

Another nod and then Torren was glancing back and Luna and her. “You two take care as well; you have an interesting fate for sure – do not let it get the better of you.”

Katie nodded and shrugged. She certainly hoped things would settle into something she could remotely consider safe. In her silence, it was Luna who spoke up. “Goodbye Torren – be safe,” she said shyly. She shifted in her spot on the couch where Sophie had set her, and Katie reached up to place a hand on the younger Mer’s tail. Luna smiled at her in response.

They watched Lewis take Torren out of the apartment. Questions were burning heavily on Katie’s tongue, she wanted to inquire about what had just gone down. She genuinely couldn’t tell if Riley and Torren were friends or tolerating one another out of a civility they would rather break.

Before she could get the chance to ask the questions, Sophie leaned over the back of the opposite couch to push a glass of water into Riley’s hands. It was filled nearly to the rim and a little of the liquid sloshed over the side as it changed hands. “Drink this,” Sophie instructed. “I don’t want you to get dehydrated. Once you’re done, I want you to settle in and get some rest. No more chatting or excitement for a few hours. Go to sleep or I will get a sedative.”

Katie half expected Riley to argue and the rebellious Mer did pause and hold Sophie’s gaze for a moment as if trying to decide if it was worth it to argue. The seriousness of Sophie’s tone seemed to sway her however as she sighed and tipped the glass back to gulp the water down. It reminded Katie of her own parched tongue. The dry season was going to be brutal in more ways than one this year.

Sophie shook out a blanket and draped it over Riley, and Katie shifted in her chair. She knew they would have to leave Riley be if she was going to actually sleep like Sophie wanted. She turned to look at Luna to suggest they head back to her room, but she found her little sister curling up on the couch cushions. Her tail was partially flopped over the side so her fin brushed the carpet below, and she was lowering her head into the crook of her arm. Katie smiled and turned back away. She was more than capable of packing on her own; it was clear Luna was going to take Sophie’s suggestion of a nap as well. As she looked away, Katie happened to catch her mother’s gaze. Sophie had a gentle smile on her face and she jerked her head slightly back towards the hallway. Katie returned the expression and followed her out of the living room to let the cousins rest in peace.


	10. A Fateful Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to start off by wishing everyone who celebrates a happy Easter. For those of you who do not, normally I would wish you happy holidays/time off work, but in this case, most of us are probably self quarantined still anyways so.....happy random day of self isolation?
> 
> In all seriousness, I hope everyone is well and surviving the pandemic best they can. This chapter is longer than the usual so far, and I hope the extra content can help fill a little more time for everyone.

Despite the hallways being deserted at five in the morning, Sophie’s heart still thumped wildly in her chest as she made her way down the dimly lit set of concrete stairs into the underground parking garage. She normally hated parking there, preferring the above ground lot over the tight turns of the underground, but she had pulled her van in last night to make the move easier in the morning.

As she walked, Sophie continued to glance around to ensure no one else was around. Riley was cradled in her arms and she held the Mer teen tightly. She’d wrapped Riley’s tail in a blanket to help conceal the scales, but it wasn’t perfect and she was still nervous. She wasn’t sure if it was just jitters about the move or something she should put genuine stock into, but her skin had been crawling the past few days like they were being watched. It had sent her into a full-blown paranoia she couldn’t shake, and she was taking excessive precautions to deal with her fears.

Riley’s breath tickled her ear as she shifted. “You are squeezing a little tight,” the girl murmured. “Is something wrong?”

Sophie took a breath and forced herself to relax and loosen her death grip on Riley’s form. Once she reached the car, parked in the far corner, she pulled open the sliding side door and gently lowered Riley down onto the seat. It was covered with a towel at Katie’s request so that their scales wouldn’t catch on the leather and pull or rip the seats to shreds. Her daughter was sitting in the other middle seat, her head leaned back against the headrest. She looked half asleep, but her eyes opened and she watched from the corner of her eye as Sophie buckled Riley’s seatbelt.

Once Riley was situated, Sophie glanced into the back where Luna was. The youngest of the Mer had pushed the blanket away and curled her tail up beside her. The windows were tinted enough that Sophie bit her tongue against protesting. It was hot and none of the three were thrilled about being up in the dry air. Even Katie, who normally tanned rather than burned, was looking a little rosy just from sitting in the sunlight coming through the windows. Luna was the worst for it, given how little proper time she’d spent in the sun for so many years. Her skin had gone from the veiny pale that she had when Sophie met her to a pink shade. The skin on her shoulders had even begun to peel before Sophie began slathering her in sunscreen.

Riley didn’t seem overly concerned, expressing that they were protected well enough from the sun and the only reason it was a problem now was because they were spending too much time away from the water. Sophie certainly hoped the other two would improve once they had proper access, because Riley was certainly not having as much of a problem with the heat.

“Does the AC go up any higher?” Katie inquired with a groan as she shifted and swiped some hair out of her face.

Sophie leaned carefully over Riley to reach the cooler positioned between the two middle seats. She pulled the lid off and dug out a chilled bottle of water, which she offered out to Katie. “Here, drink this.”

Katie grabbed the bottle and nodded her thanks before tipping it back and proceeding to chug the contents. While she drank, Sophie pulled out two more and passed one back to Luna before setting the other on Riley’s lap. “Both of you as well; keep your fluids up. Luna, are you okay hon?”

The young Mer froze as Sophie said her name, her vivid blue eyes wide. Then she slowly lowered the water bottle from her lips – a little of the liquid dribbled down her chin – and nodded, but her free hand was curled around the seatbelt as she continued to tug at it. Luna did not like the buckle and Sophie knew it was because it brought back memories of her youth and the straps used to restrain her. She applauded the way the girl was trying to keep a brave face about it, but knew it wasn’t easy for her. She reached back to brush her knuckles down Luna’s cheek. Before bringing her down earlier, Sophie had sat her down and pulled her hair up off her face into a braid running down the back of her neck. The girl hid behind a wall of hair often and now that it was pulled back, it revealed the angular lines of her face formerly hidden. It also showed how underweight Luna still was; the bones were well defined in her cheeks, and her hair added the illusion of volume to her scrawny neck and torso that vanished with a little light.

Sophie had been doing her best to get the girl’s weight back up, but Luna seemed to lose it faster than she gained it, even though she hadn’t gotten to be all that active the past few weeks. It was better than when they’d arrived, better than she imagined it had been before the girl met Katie, but it was still not at a range Sophie would consider healthy. It was likely stress ragging on her body so harshly; she hoped the move would be good for them all in more ways than one.

As she stroked Luna’s face, the girl leaned into the contact and hummed softly, but there was confusion in her gaze, so Sophie gently pried her fingers away from the seatbelt and readjusted it to lay flat and loose across her chest. “Try not to play with it, okay? It’s only for a little while; it’s okay.”

Luna nodded, but she was chewing on her lip while she did and her fingers curled back around the belt almost immediately, though she didn’t tug on it anymore, so Sophie left her alone. She could hold it if she wanted; if it made her feel more secure.

“You girls are all okay?” Sophie confirmed as she glanced at the three of them. Luna looked small in the back, but she seemed a little calmer now. Katie had propped her face on a fist and looked like she was about to fall back asleep. The empty water bottle lay discarded on her lap. Riley’s remained untouched as she instead craned her neck to examine the interior of the van from all possible angles. She began to pick at the seatbelt and the shirt Sophie had forced her into. Riley really did not seem to care for wearing anything and most of the time, that was fine; but she would rather not have to explain the scales on the teen’s chest if someone happened to pass by.

“Riley? You good to go? You’re not in any pain from being moved, are you?” Sophie pressed.

Riley shook her head and grinned. “I am fine, Sophie. There is no pain. I have been feeling much better; I am fine to swim again after we arrive at this new home. Is the migration a long one?”

Sophie chuckled and shook her head. “The drive will take a little over an hour, but it’s not too far. I think you’re all really going to like it. Riley, Luna, you remember what I said about the car. It’s going to move, it’s going to make some noise, and stop and turn at times; there’s nothing to be concerned about.”

“Okay,” Luna agreed softly. Riley merely shrugged and shifted her weight. Satisfied that the two were going to be alright for the ride, Sophie pulled the side door shut once more and made her way around to the front passenger seat.

Lewis had insisted on driving them out and she’d agreed since it would give her a better chance to keep an eye on the Mer, especially if Luna spooked. She was a very skittish child.

Sophie drummed her nails on the dashboard as they waited. Lewis was upstairs doing one final check to ensure they had everything in order and hadn’t missed anything.

A few minutes later, he finally pulled open the driver’s side door and slid into the vehicle. “Everything all good?” Sophie inquired. Yesterday, they’d rented a moving truck to take most of the furniture and boxes out to the new house; only the necessities from last night were packed in the back of the van now.

Lewis nodded then twisted in his seat. “Everyone ready to go?” he asked. Sophie turned to see the three Mer as well. Katie was still leaned back in her seat. She had draped one arm over her face so the crook of her elbow rested over her eyes. The hand that hung limply curled into a thumbs up and she grunted her acknowledgement.

“You don’t seem very excited,” Sophie commented.

“I make no promises of pep before eight,” Katie responded. Sophie rolled her eyes and heard Luna giggling in the backseat. They seemed fine.

As a last check, her attention flicked to Riley and she frowned. The girl was smiling, but the grin seemed forced – with taunt, thinly pressed lips – and her eyes were glazed. At first, Sophie wondered if she might be in pain, but the body language seemed different. Riley was tapping her fingers on her lap and the digits shook as they moved. “Riley? Are you okay?” she pressed carefully. Riley tended to try to conceal her discomforts and Sophie wanted her to open up rather than retreat into a shell.

Riley met her gaze and began chewing on her lip with one fang. She didn’t respond immediately, and Sophie felt her stomach tighten. Something was wrong. “I am okay,” Riley finally managed, though her voice wavered and her smile became even less convincing as she tried to force it wider.

“Are you sure?” Sophie pressed as she stared at Riley, trying to study the Mer for any clues to the potential problem.

Riley’s lips continued to press upwards into a bigger grin, this one revealing grit teeth. “I am fine, Sophie; my side is bothering me a bit is all. It is not serious, do not worry. I am certain it will pass shortly; I do not wish for it to hold us up.”

The response was a red flag and concern began to gnaw at Sophie’s gut, scampering around inside her like a panicked mouse running inside a wall. Riley did not often admit to her pain so easily; especially when she was close to full recovery and determined not to be set back by it. Something else was up that pain was the more ideal thing to admit to. She wanted to wring the answer out of Riley like she was a sponge but had a feeling whatever it was – Riley was not keen on sharing. She glanced at Lewis – wondering what his opinion was – but he was looking at her expectantly as well. The choice was hers. Reluctantly, she twisted to settle back into her seat. She would leave it for now but keep an eye on the girl through the course of the drive. “Just be careful,” she forced herself to say. “Your stitches haven’t fully dissolved yet. If the pain gets worse, let me know and I can get you some medication for it.”

She glanced once more at Lewis and nodded. The sooner they got to the house, the sooner they could begin setting up a new life. She couldn’t force the problem out of Riley before the girl was ready to share, so she decided to instead focus on the task at hand. She didn’t want to linger in the lot any longer.

Lewis tugged the van into reverse with a soft click and then began to pull out of the parking spot. Sophie rested her cheek on her hand and stared out the window as Lewis left the marine park and merged onto the highway. She watched absently as the road, electrical poles, and cars rolled past. She had been out to the house a few times, was confident it was the perfect place for them.

“Oh, wow.” Sophie turned at the whispery sound of Luna’s voice. The young Mer had mashed her face up against the glass, peering into the world.

Sophie glanced out Lewis’s window to get a better picture of what had enraptured the youth. Beyond the road, the ocean stretched. The surface shone with the sheen of melted gold as the sun began to rise.

“It is so pretty,” Luna continued. “I miss it.”

Guilt sunk its claws deep into Sophie’s gut at the forlorn tone of Luna’s voice. She’d done her best to give the girls opportunities to swim in one of the pools, but it was always a risk and Luna spent a lot of time in the bath to compensate. It was a sorry substitute to the waters of her birth, and she knew the girl had gotten a taste during their trip home from America. Despite the sour emotions the moment brought, Sophie forced a smile. It was a short drive to the house, and she was certain Luna would be thrilled with what awaited them there.

“Riley, are you okay?” The concern oozing from Katie’s voice wrenched Sophie out of her thoughts. She glanced first at her daughter, who was fixated on the seat behind Sophie. She twisted in her seat to get a better look.

Riley was curled in on herself, her sandy scales peeking out from beneath an unraveled blanket. She didn’t answer Katie’s question and instead rested her chin on her scales, her arms wrapped tightly around the long appendage.

Sophie frowned as she studied the Mer. Something was definitely wrong. Riley’s unwavering gaze was narrowed in on the leather in front of her and her eyes were wide and panicked. As she stopped to listen for a moment, she could hear a heavy wheeze coming from Riley’s throat. “Riley?” Sophie pressed.

She didn’t get an answer and instead, Riley began to shudder while the wheezing got louder. Her eyes began to water, and tears leaked from the corners to streak down her face.

In her shaking, her head turned and Sophie got a good look at her neck. Riley’s gills were out, flaring and flapping uselessly in the air, fluid beginning to drip from them.

“Lewis, pull over,” Katie said, fear lacing her tone as she tapped a hand on the back of Lewis’s seat. The statement was unnecessary as Lewis was already changing lanes to pull the van up along the shoulder of the highway.

Sophie had her seatbelt off and was climbing out of the car before he had even pulled to a complete stop. She flung the side door of the van open and knelt to grab ahold of Riley. The Mer was pale and swaying, and still gasping for air. She reached up and cupped the sides of Riley’s throat, trying to force her gills closed. “Riley, honey, what’s the matter? Close your gills,” she urged, pressing harder against the gaping ridges resisting her attempts to hold them shut. Panic was clawing its way up Sophie’s throat as she held Riley’s quaking form. She wracked her brain for a reason or cause for the freak-out. “Riley, you have to talk to us; what’s going on?”

Riley whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut. She began to shake her head furiously. “Cannot…breathe,” she hissed. More tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped to the blanket below. “Trapped.”

Sophie shook her head. Trapped? “Riley, it’s okay,” Sophie replied. “You’re okay.”

“No,” Riley moaned. “No, no, no.”

“Sophie, move,” Lewis urged. He placed a hand on her shoulder and Sophie glanced back, having only just noticed he’d gotten out of the car. She glanced between the three Mer in the car, noticing the terrified looks on Katie and Luna’s faces. Reluctantly, she stepped back to allow him through.

Immediately, Lewis lurched forward and leaned over the panicking teen. Sophie heard the click of her seatbelt being undone seconds before Lewis was dragging Riley out of the van and onto the ground. Sophie pulled the blanket out of the car as well and held it up to block any view of Riley from oncoming traffic. Already, being out of the vehicle seemed to be doing her quite a bit of good as Riley’s breathing gradually began to even out and her gills finally lowered back against her neck.

Sophie recognized the signs of the panic attack; she just wished she knew what had caused it. She crouched down beside Riley and stretched out a hand to smooth down the wayward golden waterfall that cascaded from her scalp. “Are you okay, Riley?”

A massive shudder wracked the teen’s lithe form and her bottom lip sucked in as she chewed on it. “I am sorry,” she whispered as fresh beads of moisture began to spill from her watery eyes.

Sophie shook her head and swiped a thumb over Riley’s cheek to smear away the tears. “Don’t be sorry, Riley; it’s okay,” she assured the distraught girl. The sight of a girl usually so willful and independent now lying in a crumpled heap wrenched at Sophie’s heartstrings. She wanted to fix whatever was causing her distress. “What happened?” she finally pressed.

“Claustrophobia,” Lewis spoke up before Riley could. “Fear of being trapped in tight spaces.”

Sophie chewed her lip. She knew the clarification was for Riley’s sake, since the Mer wasn’t likely to know the meaning behind the term.

At his description, Riley’s eyes squeezed shut and more tears spilled from behind her closed eyelids. She was no longer wheezing, but her chest was still heaving with each ragged breath.

“Riley, why didn’t you say something?” Sophie inquired. Riley’s reaction confirmed Lewis’s diagnosis.

Riley shook her head and grit her teeth. “Did not want to slow you down,” she hissed behind a clenched jaw. “Thought I could handle it. I am sorry.”

Sophie reached out and pulled the panting teen into her arms. She petted Riley’s hair and kissed the crown of her head. Thankfully, the panic attack was fading and Riley’s shaking was lessening. “Next time, tell us,” she urged tenderly. “We can’t help you if we don’t know what’s going on.”

Riley’s untouched water bottle had fallen out of the vehicle, so Sophie reached out and grabbed it. After twisting the top off, she pushed it into Riley’s quivering hands. “Drink something,” Sophie instructed a bit more firmly.

She waited until Riley obligingly lifted the rim to her lips in order to continue speaking. “The last thing I want to have to do is put you back in the car; but we can’t stay here on the side of the road much longer. Can you hang tough just a little longer?”

Riley’s eyes were wide as she tilted her head up to look at Sophie, and the woman watched her gulp heavily. For a moment Sophie was certain they would have to think of something else, when Riley’s lips pressed into a firm line and she hesitantly nodded. Sophie knew she would always put on a brave face. She didn’t like the idea of forcing the phobic girl back into the vehicle, but there wasn’t much of another option, so she gathered up the blanket around Riley’s tail and hefted her into her arms.

She decided that it was time for a seating rearrangement and set Riley down upfront before reaching around to grab the seatbelt and buckle her in. “You sit up front with Lewis, okay? We can roll your window down and there’s more space up here. It’s not for long, okay?” she assured her. She tucked Riley’s bangs back behind her ears and waited a moment until she seemed a bit calmer before backing off and closing the door.

After climbing into the middle through the side door, Sophie turned to look at first Katie and then Luna. “Are you two alright?”

“All good,” Katie confirmed with a thumbs up.

Luna’s gaze was fixated on the back of Riley’s head and her eyes were still wide. It took her a moment to respond, but when she did, it was with a pressed smile and glassy eyes. “Yes.” Her voice was small and soft when she spoke, and Sophie sighed internally. Their trip was not starting off on the note she’d hoped for, but she understood Luna’s fears. Riley always seemed very unflappable – even in the face of pain or risk – and the incident that just transpired reminded them all that she was just as prone to moments of weakness.

Luna probably didn’t like it on account that she’d really started looking up to her cousin, believing she could do just about anything – including taking Luna home.

Sophie didn’t like it either, for different reasons. Her faith was already shaken that Riley was okay galivanting on her own through the oceans and she did not like the knowledge that she had to send her back out to a pod that wasn’t welcoming; this event made it even more difficult a pill to swallow. She wanted to keep the girl close, protect her and enrich her with the comfort and affection it was apparent she had been starved of in her youth. Riley was no longer a child – not by Mer standards clearly, and nearly by human standards as well – but she still had some of the needs Sophie saw in youth. The desire to keep all three adoptive children safe and happy was too powerful an instinct to ignore; it practically choked her.

As the van motored along, Sophie reached back and cupped the smooth curve of Luna’s cheek. The girl’s glossy eyes slid shut and she leaned into Sophie’s palm and hummed. Sophie smiled and stroked her thumb over Luna’s face. It was ironic that she was so contact oriented after the physical abuse she had endured over the years, but Luna seemed to crave touch and physical affection more than anything else. Sophie gently patted her cheek a few times, then gestured back to the window, which ripped Luna’s attention away instantly.

Sophie chuckled at the sight of the young Mer pressing her face up against the glass once more. She wasn’t sitting properly, but the seatbelt still stretched across her chest seemed entirely forgotten and she was safe enough, so Sophie let it be.

She redirected her attention to her daughter, buckled in across from her with her hands folded in her lap. She looked half asleep, but when Sophie held out her hand, Katie’s gaze slid from the back of Lewis’s seat and she smiled. When her warm hand settled between Sophie’s fingers, Sophie curled them to squeeze Katie’s hand. “You ready?” she asked as she rubbed her thumb over Katie’s wrist.

Katie dipped her head and blinked blearily. “Yeah, though I would have preferred to leave a little bit later.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “I warned you to get to sleep, that we had an early morning,” she scolded gently. “You three should not have talked the night away.”

“I am not tired,” Luna offered as she leaned forward until her nose was between the middle seats.

“That’s because you fell asleep,” Katie countered. Her head twisted and her tongue poked out between her glistening ivory fangs. “I’m glad you slept through the night, but I didn’t have that luxury. Riley kept me up.” As she spoke, Katie’s gaze twisted up front where Riley was sitting as though she expected Riley to respond to the playful jab.

Riley didn’t reply, however. In fact, she showed no indication of having heard the conversation at all.

Sophie studied the Mer sitting up front. She couldn’t tell much from looking at her mostly concealed back, but she could see her eyes reflecting in the glass of the windshield. Her gaze was wide and she was hunched in on herself, though she no longer appeared to be panicking and had calmed considerably. The shirt she was wearing was a couple sizes too big for her – it was all they could get her to wear; anything more fitted and she squirmed and complained before simply tearing it off – and the sleeve had slipped, exposing the smooth, tanned flesh of her shoulder.

Sophie reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently when Riley flinched. “It’s okay,” she murmured. “Give me your hand.”

Riley twisted slightly in the seat. Her brows were furrowed with confusion, but she extended her hand without comment. Sophie took her by the wrist and pulled her arm a little closer. Her spines were pressed tightly against the slender limb, but Sophie wasn’t surprised to see them despite having watched Riley pull them in before they left. It seemed to be stress related, an unconscious action when she got upset.

Riley seemed to notice her looking and tried to pull her arm back. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I will pull them back in.”

Sophie shook her head. “It’s okay, leave them,” she replied. She reached out and stroked a finger over the sharp spine. She had no idea if it was made of bone or cartilage, but it was smooth and rigid under the pad of her finger. She trailed back down to where it met the flesh of Riley’s arm and began to rub. She’d seen Riley scratching and rubbing at her forearm fins a lot. Riley’s response to the attention was immediate as her muscles loosened and she hummed her contentment. There was a soft rattling sound and Sophie grinned. She’d heard it a couple times before, from Luna as well. It was too subtle to see, but the Mer seemed to rattle their scales – based on the sound – when they were happy.

Sophie continued to massage the skin around the fin, trailing down the side along where the membrane stitched into her arm.

Riley shivered and the soft rattling sound grew a little louder. “Sophie, you are going to cut yourself,” she protested weakly as Sophie worked.

She wouldn’t deny the spines were sharp and serrated, but she was tender enough to avoid a problem. “Don’t worry,” Sophie assured the teen.

For a moment, a frown twitched on Riley’s lips and the scowl lines on her brow creased like she planned to argue, but then her eyes slid shut and she hummed again. “Feels good,” she purred. “I know what you are doing.”

“Oh? And what’s that?” Sophie countered.

“Trying to distract me.”

“Is it working?” Sophie asked.

Riley swallowed and nodded. “Thank you.” Then her eye reopened and she focused in on Katie, the scowl returning to her features. “I did not keep you awake. You were the one with question after question again. I did not even get a game of chess for my efforts. You are a ceaseless trench of curiosity.”

Katie burst out laughing in response and Sophie could not contain a grin either. The delay in defending herself was laughable and adorable.

Before either of them could comment, Lewis piped up. “Like you aren’t,” he stated, reaching out with one hand to gently poke Riley.

Riley’s head snapped around to glower at him in response. Though Sophie could only see a portion of her face now, the reaction was clear and only made her laugh harder.

“At least I let people sleep,” Riley protested. She pulled her hand back out of Sophie’s grasp in order to poke Lewis back before crossing her arms over her chest and shifting her weight with a huff.

The bark of amusement that ripped from Lewis’ throat gave Sophie pause as she watched Riley stiffen. She hoped there wasn’t going to be a spat over this. Lewis reached out again and bumped Riley’s shoulder with a closed fist. “No, you don’t.”

Riley’s lips parted and she raised a finger while her jaw bobbed as she clearly scrambled for a retort. Sophie chuckled at the floundering fish expression. Finally, a wide grin stretched across Riley’s face and she shrugged. “Fair,” she conceded.

Sophie shook her head. Her life had been filled with chaos and energy and she adored it, but sometimes it was like trying to wrangle a group of wild animals. “How are we doing on time, Lewis?” she inquired.

There was a pause as Lewis studied the road. “Traffic is good; we should be there in about twenty minutes.”

“Sophie?”

Luna’s soft voice drew Sophie’s attention to the backseat. “Everything okay, Luna?”

Luna’s fingers were curled around the side of Katie’s seat and her wide cerulean eyes glistened as she stared. “Is there any more water?”

Sophie was already reaching down to open the cooler when she responded. “Of course.” She dug through the ice keeping the bottles cold and fished one out. Twisting the lid to crack the bottle open for the Mer, she passed it back.

“Thank you.” Luna tipped the bottle back and began to drink as much as she could in rapid gulps.

Sophie handed Katie a bottle as well, and it disappeared almost as quickly as the first. When she’d drained the water, Katie licked her lips to collect the last bit of moisture dribbling from the corner of her mouth. “Thanks,” she gasped as her chest heaved.

“You’re welcome,” Sophie replied. “Riley, do you need some more water?” she didn’t wait for a response before lifting another bottle free and passing it up. Riley nodded her thanks as she took it and began to down it just as swiftly as the other two had.

Lewis reached down and adjusted the dial on the air conditioning so that it was at full blast, pumping the closest thing to cold air as they would get.

Sophie shivered slightly and rubbed a bare arm. She hadn’t figured she would desire longer sleeves. Beside her, Katie shoved the sheet she’d had draped over her scales away from her fin and sighed with content.

Sophie frowned, once again feeling thankful that they were on their way to a new home where they would have instant access to the water; the dry season was having too many negative effects on the three for her not to feel concerned about it.

“I think a swim might be in order once we get settled,” she decided. She’s seen the three swim a few different times, but always felt like she needed to stand guard, especially when she snuck Katie and Luna down for a brief dip in one of the indoor pools. This time, she decided she might like to join them.

“That sounds really nice,” Katie agreed with eager need cascading from her tone.

“Well, you won’t have long to wait,” Lewis announced as he pulled onto an off-ramp and left the highway behind in favor of a long, well worn road. They were officially away from the city and into a more coastal area of vacation homes. “We’re nearly there.”

The proclamation had Katie and Riley fixating on the windows with enthusiasm as thick as Luna’s had been the entire trip. Sophie had refused to tell them anything about the property, so none of them knew what they were looking for; but she smiled at the eager grins and hitched breaths that came with every house they passed. There weren’t many of them, and it took a couple of minutes in between each to see another one. She had selected as private a place as she possibly could so that they could all breathe easy and not feel the need to look over their shoulders or risk being seen.

Sophie found herself angling her body to see better out the front of the vehicle, her own anticipation rising.

Finally, the house they were all looking for peeked out from the horizon and when Lewis turned off the road onto the winding, sandy driveway, Katie was the first to show her amazement.

Her breath whistled out between her teeth and she pressed her face flat against her window for a better look. “Wow,” she murmured. Sophie could hear the emotional strangle in her tone as she spoke.

The house was a fair-sized ranch style – Sophie had not wanted a second floor; there was no point when it would merely cut half her family off from accessing it – on a sprawling property. The front garden was decorated in a gray brick pathway up to the door, with smooth pebbles of various shades of white, brown, and gray to either side. From the stone, pushed various ferns and eucalyptus trees that shielded the sides and back of the house from view.

Lewis pulled the car around so that the back could be seen, revealing the tall walls of a cove closed in on all sides save a thin channel straight out to see. The home sat right on the edge of the water, the back half extending out on wooden posts into a dock. The glass sliding doors that led out would put them on the water, they could swim up with plenty of depth still to swim and pull themselves out easily.

The second he pulled to a stop, Lewis twisted in his seat and grinned back at them all. “Welcome home.”

Katie wasted no time in reaching for the door handle, clearly eager to get out and explore – where she thought she was going without her chair was beyond Sophie, though – and Sophie reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder and stop her. “Just wait a minute, okay? I know you’re excited, but you can’t get out yet,” she instructed. She pointed over to the side of the house, where a man in a business suit was waiting with several documents. “We still have to finalize everything with the real estate agent. Wait here, okay?”

After taking a moment to ensure they were alright in the vehicle, Sophie unbuckled her seat belt and stepped from the car. Despite the dry season, enough of a sea breeze was wafting in from the cove to make it more bearable. Lewis fell in step beside her as they approached the house and she reached out to lace her fingers through his. He gave her hand a squeeze and she sighed, once again feeling blessed for his help and support – she’d needed both the past few months and he never faltered or failed to be there.

“Miss Brooks! Mr. Patter! How are you both?” the agent asked as he approached and extended a hand.

Lewis reached out with his free hand and took it. “Well enough for this early in the morning,” he replied.

Once they were done shaking, Sophie took his hand and smiled. “Thank you again, Jackson,” she said. “For everything. The house is perfect.”

“It is a beautiful property,” Jackson agreed. He held out the clipboard he was holding to his chest. “I just need your signature to finalize everything. Last chance to back out,” he reminded.

Sophie shook her head, accepted a pen from him, and scrawled her signature across the dotted line. She then passed the documents to Lewis, who did the same.

“Pleasure doing business with you folks,” Jackson responded as he took the documents back from Lewis. “If you have any questions or conflicts in the next few days, give my office a call.”

“We will,” Sophie confirmed. “Thank you again.”

“Have a good day. Best of luck settling in.”

Sophie watched Jackson walk away. She didn’t move until he’d gotten into his car and driven away. Once she was certain he was gone, she hurried back to the van, having grown concerned about leaving the three Mer there for so long; especially given Riley’s claustrophobia.

She pulled Riley’s door open and found her looking a little pale again. “Just a second, I’ll get your chair. Katie, you can open up your door as well.”

Sophie moved to the back of the van and opened the hatchback. The motion startled Luna, who whipped around and stared with wide eyes. Then she smiled and waved at Sophie.

“Can I take this off now?” she inquired as she tugged on her seatbelt.

Sophie chuckled and nodded. “Of course. Just sit tight though for a few minutes and I’ll get you out.” She pulled each of the wheelchairs out one at a time and unfolded them on the driveway. Lewis came to help and grabbed one to take up to Riley. “Get her to take her blanket with her,” Sophie called up to him.

Once the other two chairs were unfolded, she pushed one over and helped Katie out of the car, into it. “Go on up around back. There’s a ramp there so you can get up. I’ll get Luna.”

“Thanks mom,” Katie replied, stretching up to wrap her arms around Sophie’s waist. Sophie smiled and hugged her back.

As Katie rolled away, Sophie climbed into the car to help Luna out and into the third chair.

Luna gasped as she gazed around and Sophie supposed she didn’t get the greatest look driving up, having been sitting in the very back. “It is so pretty, Sophie,” she whispered as she took a deep breath. “I can smell the ocean.”

“Well you should be able to, it’s right there,” Sophie replied, pointing towards the back of the house. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

She kept pace with Luna, who was a little slower getting around in her chair than the other two, as they walked over to the back of the house. The wrap around porch stretched onto a jetty deck, raised on poles out of the water that was half in the sun and half protected beneath an overhang shelter. There was a fence that framed two of the three exposed sides, while the third dropped off into the water, with a side ramp that stretched right down under. The girls would be able to get in and out easily whenever they wanted.

Sophie had to help Luna up the short ramp, but once she did, Luna was fixated on the water. The house sat right on a secluded cove. It was blocked in by high cliffsides save for one opening dead center on the opposite side. It would be very difficult for any unwelcome boats to sneak up on them here.

“Are we allowed to go in?” Luna asked and her wide puppy eyes were so radiant with hope and delight that it made a massive smile stretch across Sophie’s face. That look conveyed everything that Sophie had hoped for. This was exactly what they’d needed.

She only needed to nod once before Luna was eagerly making her way over to the edge of the deck. She slid out of her chair and was in the water before anyone could catch up.

Katie poked her head out the sliding glass door from inside the house, her expression also one of wonder. “This place is amazing!” she squealed as she came back out onto the deck, Riley following close behind.

The third Mer took a deep breath and grinned. “I am inclined to agree. This will make coming and going much easier, and it feels so much less eerie. Swimming up that pipe was fine, but it always had this moment of concern. There could have been anyone in that room when I popped up. Here, there will be less opportunity for surprise.”

“I’m glad you all like it,” Sophie replied. “I love it too. I’ve always dreamed of a place like this and now that it’s a reality, it’s even more perfect because it’s exactly what we needed.” Sophie glanced out at the water where Luna was floating flat on her back near the surface. Other than the occasional flick of her fin to keep herself steady, she was motionless and clearly enjoying simply being in the water. Sophie made her way over to the edge of the dock, slipped her sandals off, and sat down to let her feet trail in the crystal-clear water. This was paradise.

“Am I allowed to go in as well?” Riley asked. Sophie glanced up to find the blonde beside her, still in the wheelchair and watching her hopefully. There was something of a longing swimming in her gaze and Sophie suspected it was a desire to swim with her cousin. The two were really growing closer and hadn’t gotten the chance to be in their element.

Because of that, Sophie desperately wanted to say ‘yes’, but she knew it wasn’t safe to assume.

Thankfully, Lewis stepped in to save her from having to say anything. “Come here, I’ll check your stitches and we’ll see.”

Sophie watched with bated breath as Lewis helped Riley out of the wheelchair and knelt on the deck beside her to peel the pad away from her side. Immediately, Riley’s gaze averted and Sophie reached out and squeezed her shoulder in sympathy.

“Actually,” Lewis announced. “Your stitches have all but dissolved. You should be fine, so long as you keep your movements slow for the first little bit and I want to check you again before you think about heading out so don’t just disappear,” Lewis warned.

Riley grinned and Sophie forced herself to smile back. She was still nervous about Riley going out again, especially to a pod that wasn’t likely to welcome her. Still, she was happy it meant the girls would get to swim together.

Before she could say anything, however, a low growl pulled her attention away from Riley. That sound was not friendly. To Sophie’s surprise the sound was coming from Katie, who’s eyes had narrowed and her posture seemed almost puffed up. “Katie, is everything-”

Sophie was cut off as Katie growled again, bunched her tail muscles, and leapt, getting quite a bit of momentum out of it. She shot past Sophie and barreled into Riley, the two of them bowling over in a tangle of tails and fins, the sounds of a fight quickly rising to disrupt the previously tranquil atmosphere.

Dread coiled in Sophie’s stomach and she wasn’t even sure what she was looking at. This was not playful wrestling. “Katie! Katie, stop it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I terrible for also leaving a cliff-hanger? Perhaps. You've all read Cry of the Mer, though. Did you really think the sequel would let you off easy?
> 
> Let the games begin, my friends.


	11. A New Problem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt a little bad leaving everyone on a cliffhanger for a full week when we're all in isolation with nothing really to do, so just this once, I've decided to upload a bonus chapter. The next will be out on Monday as per usual. Enjoy.

Riley’s tail thumped against the deck as she flicked the limb and shook herself. It felt good not to have that pad stuck to her flesh anymore. It had tugged at her skin whenever she moved, being free of it was liberating. She heard Lewis’ warning about being careful during the first little bit and taking it slow. While she would normally roll her eyes and ignore him, this time she accepted the logic. She needed to go after her pod as quickly as possible and aggravating the injury would only delay her.

She glanced out over the water to where her young cousin was floating and smiled. Her heart went out to the poor child, who suffered through so much and still tried to keep a positive attitude. She knew reuniting her with her family was the most important thing now.

 _Luna._ She mulled the name over in her mind. It was the name she had gone by before Riley showed up, the one Katie had given her because she couldn’t remember hers. For a short period of time, everyone had accepted her original name, but then reverted to calling her Luna. Kera had seemed a little happier with that, so Riley had decided to use it too, at least until the younger girl corrected any of them – if she ever did. Riley did want to know why she was choosing to keep the temporary name she had been given, but the topic seemed like one Luna was avoiding, so Riley decided it was best not to pry. Her cousin would say something if she wanted to. Riley was hardly going to insist she keep to her birth name – after all, she had not done so either.

Riley shuffled her fins, sweeping her tail around as she prepared to dive in and join Luna, who was still floating peacefully on the surface. Before she could jump, however, Riley’s attention was averted by a low, threatening growl that made her tense.

She twisted around to see that Katie’s posture was highly agitated. Her tail was twitching, shoulders and neck hunched, and her narrowed eyes were fixated on Riley, who stared back evenly.

Riley heard Sophie begin to ask if Katie was alright, but it was like the sound of her voice only spurred Katie on because a growl became a snarl and she launched herself forward.

Riley was impressed by the distance and force behind the leap as Katie crashed into her. The force shoved Riley backwards flat on the deck. She rolled with the momentum and the two of them flipped in a backwards somersault, their tails tangling as they flopped heavily onto the deck.

Behind them, Riley could hear Sophie screaming at Katie to stop, but those cries were drowned out by Katie’s furious growls. As instinct took over, a warning hiss rang out as Riley barred her fangs, but the other Mer was undeterred. She snapped her jaws and Riley flinched back from the saliva coated fangs.

She was not sure why Katie had suddenly attacked, but she also did not truly wish to hurt the girl she had come to consider a good friend. It was so unlike the very friendly and accepting demeanor that Katie usually had. But now, her lips were warped into a snarl and her eyes were narrowed to slits. The aggressive tone rumbling in her throat expressed a desire for blood.

Riley twisted, a growl rising in her throat in response to Katie’s howls. She rolled Katie over and attempted to pin her, having no desire to truly fight her friend. However, Riley quickly found herself at a disadvantage. Fighting and wrestling in the water was easy, she was practiced at it, but on land – where gravity was a much stronger force – her tail was a dead weight.

Katie, who seemed a bit more used to the concept and living with those restrictions – which made sense given she grew up on land, even if she didn’t have the tail – had less trouble using her body weight to her advantage and she bucked in Riley’s grasp, throwing her off. Riley hissed as she rolled on the deck and instantly Katie was on top of her, still rumbling and clawing, her nails dragging down Riley’s back as she fought for purchase.

Out of the corner of her eye, Riley saw Lewis step forward. Sophie was still calling for them to stop, but it looked like Lewis was trying to get close enough to pull them apart. Riley lurched up, straining the muscles in her arms and core more than she intended in order to unbalance Katie and pull them into an evenly matched tussle once more. “Do not get closer,” she snapped out at Lewis between panting breaths. Katie was stronger than she looked. The girl bared her fangs again and lunged for Riley’s throat. Riley ducked out of the way, but could feel Katie’s hot breath as her jaws snapped shut near Riley’s face.

Riley was reeling. She did not know what she had done to incur Katie’s wrath, but the other Mer was trying to do serious damage.

“Katherine Waters, that is enough!” Sophie roared with enough fury that even Riley flinched. It seemed to have an effect because Katie paused for a moment, her previously slitted eyes widening. Riley held her breath, wondering if that meant the fight was over. It seemed to do the trick, but then Katie shuddered and her eyes narrowed once more as she lunged again for Riley’s throat.

Beginning to understand, Riley shot a hand out and connected with Katie’s collarbone. The other girl gagged slightly, and Riley was able to throw her off entirely. Sitting up, Riley leapt forward this time and continued the tussle. Having had a few minutes to adjust to moving about in this manner out of the water, Riley was quickly able to tip the balance in her favor. She was the more experienced. Within seconds, Katie was twisting and hissing, saliva running down her chin as Riley held her down against the deck. Riley’s tail muscles coiled tighter to pin Katie’s thrashing limb and when the girl surged upwards again, Riley shoved her weight down to pin Katie down again.

Riley had to admire her determination, but she had officially lost the fight – Riley was on guard and had her pinned, and Katie lacked the skills to properly get out of her grip. “Are you finished?” Riley inquired with bored amusement, arching a brow.

Katie hissed in response.

Riley rolled her eyes and sighed. The girl needed to be snapped back to reality, so she leaned down and opened her mouth in order to plant her fangs against Katie’s throat. She bit down gently so not to do any damage, but the pressure did the trick and Katie froze.

Riley tensed too, in case she tried to freak out again. After a moment, however, that worry was put at ease when Katie spoke. “Riley?” her voice vibrated against Riley’s teeth as she spoke, and her tone was warbled and heavy with emotion. It sounded like she was on the verge of tears. “Let me up please,” she whimpered.

Riley obliged and pulled away, sliding sideways onto the deck once more. She grabbed Katie by the wrist and pulled her back upright. “Are you alright?” she asked at the same time Sophie hurried over.

“Katie!” Sophie exclaimed and her daughter flinched. “What has gotten into you?”

Katie bit her lip and pulled her tail close to her chest. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. Her eyes closed and Riley watched a tear slip from behind the lid to slide down her face. Tears were a strange feeling Riley had only experienced once or twice – leaking water when one cried did not happen below the water – but she stayed silent while Katie hugged her scales. “I’m so sorry, Riley. I-I don’t know what happened, I just…I was happy for you, I thought we might all get to go in the water. And then, something changed, it felt off. I couldn’t think, I just-” her words were cut off by a heavy sob that ripped from her throat. The girl shuddered and dropped her chin to the bend in her tail.

“Was it like with the fish?” Luna’s voice was quiet when she spoke, but she still startled Riley. She glanced back to see Luna still in the water with her arms leaned on the deck. She was staring at Katie with concern.

Katie nodded and swallowed audibly. “Yes.”

Sophie crouched down between them and placed a hand on Katie’s shoulder. “What fish?”

When Katie did not reply, Luna continued. “Katie caught a fish a little while ago – when we were out with the boat. She did not intend to catch it, she did not want to, but her body just…did it,” Luna explained.

“I wasn’t in control,” Katie replied.

“I don’t understand,” Sophie pressed.

“I do,” Riley stated. The moment she spoke, Riley felt everyone’s gaze shift to her, and she shuffled her fins awkwardly before focusing on Katie. “Have you had any other incidents like this, where you have lost control of yourself?”

Katie swallowed thickly and nodded. “Yeah…I umm…I attacked someone; to protect Luna. It wasn’t long after the change. I mean, I honestly would have tried to defend her regardless; but I just acted in that moment. I would have ripped his arm off if I hadn’t been hit in the head. Even after, I felt…different; feral almost,” Katie admitted. “It was frightening - to not be in control like that. It was scary just now.” Katie pulled her tail closer to her chest and her arms tensed as she squeezed it.

Riley frowned and shook her head. She reached out and placed a hand on Katie’s arm. She was not exceptional with providing comfort, but the conflicted girl was one she considered a friend, and she wished to ease her pain. “Do not blame yourself for what just happened,” she urged. “It was not your fault. I think the problem you are facing is one of instinct.”

Katie’s head jerked as her attention snapped to Riley and sharp frown lines creased her features. “Instincts?” she echoed. “What do you mean by that? That this is natural?”

Riley took a deep breath and blinked slowly, forcing down her own tendency to rise to a challenge with quips of her own. “No, it is not natural. Katie, your body is Mer, it comes with all the instincts and desires of our people; but your mind is human and that is where your struggle lies. By suppressing your natural instincts, you are allowing them to fester until they break loose in a moment of weakness and you lose control. You attacked that man because he was a perceived threat to one you cared for. You caught a fish because it is what we do; we hunt, seek sustenance from the ocean.”

“And just now?” Katie asked. Her voice was no longer hard, but subdued again, like she was resigning herself to a fate.

Riley grinned, however. “It was perhaps a little more aggressive than it needed to be; I would not recommend going for the throat unless your true intent is to kill, but that too is natural. It is not quite so common at our age, but young Mer often get into tussles and scraps with one another. It is how they practice utilizing their bodies and skills in a fight; learn to defend themselves. My guess would be that these new instincts are struggling as much as you are with your changes. You have the instincts of a child, an adolescent, and a full-grown Mer all warring within you to decide what you are and which of them needs to be most dominant. I would imagine that being in a position to wrestle is what spurred the desire; I imagine you have suppressed it before.”

Katie shook her head. “No, I’ve never tried to hurt Luna. We’ve wrestled, but it was never aggressive, it was tickling and chasing, and-”

Riley shook her head and cut the other Mer off before her rant could devolve. “Katie, you would not wrestle with Luna the way you just did because she is a good few years your younger. She is someone you want to protect. We are of similar age, your instincts would drive you to test your skills and dominance over a worthy challenge, not over a child. Do not wrestle with the desire next time, indulge it. I do not mind; it is important to keep one’s skills sharp.”

“I don’t want to fight,” Katie protested with a frantic shake of her head. Riley watched as the other girl yanked at her hair near the roots. “I want to be in control of my actions, not lash out in a blind haze like this. I’m not an animal,” she whimpered.

“Is that how you view our people?” Riley inquired. She tilted her head and stared Katie down. She did not care much for the comparison and while she knew Katie was struggling – the ideology was still offensive.

Katie shook her head. “No, but that’s what I feel like when I lose control like this.”

Sophie shifted a little closer and wrapped her arms around Katie’s shoulders. “What I don’t understand – you two don’t have this problem, right?”

Riley shook her head in response to Sophie’s expectant gaze.

“Then how do we help her? If she can’t stop it and it’s not natural; we can’t risk these sorts of incidents continuing – someone could get seriously hurt.”

Riley sighed and shook her head. She had wanted to take off as quickly as possible, but she could not leave the untried Mer on her own to continue dealing with her rampant instincts. She leaned forward and wrapped her fingers around Katie’s wrist. She tugged to grab the girl’s attention, then jerked her head towards the water. “Come on.”

“Come on, what?” Katie inquired.

Riley grinned. “You are not going to solve this problem until you are able to embrace who and what you are – and the first step to that is learning what it is to be a Mer. I cannot teach you in a single day, but we can start you off. It is time you were taken out into the ocean and allowed to indulge your nature.”

Katie did not immediately respond, so Riley fixed her attention on Sophie. “We will not be gone long. I will bring her back before sunset and then I will have to go.”

“Just be careful out there.”

It was Lewis who spoke up and Riley twisted around to grin up at him. She flicked her fins and nodded. “I will keep her safe. Are you coming?” she directed the last part at Katie, who looked away and then nodded.

“Yeah, I guess I don’t have a choice and I did say I wanted to learn. Let’s do this.”

“I want to come too,” Luna piped up with an eager energy flooding her tone. Riley glanced over to see her perched on the side of the dock, water sopping from her mass of hair. She shook herself, sending water flying, and flicked her fin still trailing in the water. Her wide smile stabbed like an urchin thorn into Riley’s heart.

With a soft sigh, Riley shuffled closer and shook her head. She brought their foreheads close and her mouth warped into a grim smile as Luna’s faltered into a frown. “I am sorry, little cousin, but you must remain here this time.”

“But I want to learn more too,” Luna whined.

Gritting her teeth, Riley forced herself to remain firm. “I know you do. But there are others who would be overjoyed at the chance to teach you – they missed out on it the first time around. It is not my place to show you, but Katie has no one else and needs some help. Stay here, please.”

Luna bit her lip and rolled the flesh between her fangs. She looked like she wanted to argue further. Thankfully, Sophie stepped in before Riley had the chance to cave to the young Mer’s desperation. She scooted over and pulled Luna into a hug, completely soaking her clothing in the process. “Come on, you and I will go inside and start unpacking. Maybe we can find some of the board games,” she suggested.

“Checkers?” Luna suggested.

Sophie nodded and smoothed down some of her long hair. “Yeah, I would play you a few rounds if you want. Maybe we’ll even send Lewis on a snack run, what do you say?”

Luna hesitated and glanced back at Riley with crystal eyes still wide and hopeful. Then she sighed and nodded even as her posture slumped, and guilt began to gnaw at Riley’s gut. She did not wish for Luna to feel left out. “Okay,” Luna agreed.

Sophie looked up at nodded at Riley. “Be safe. Both of you.”

“We will,” Katie agreed. “Luna? I’ll be back soon, okay?”

Luna nodded and then her attention was back on Sophie, who was busy lifting the Mer into her arms.

Feeling confident that Luna was in good company, Riley turned and shoved off the dock. She arced through the air and dove into the clear, cool waters of the cove. A moment later, Katie splashed down beside her. 

“Wow,” Katie murmured as she gazed around the cove. Riley understood her appreciation. The lagoon was coated in soft white sand and beds of seagrass pulled gently by the waves lapping calmly at the shore. A few lazy fish were crawling along the bed and rubbing their belly scales over smooth rocks dotting the bottom. There were vivid colors blossoming from the small reef that had taken root in the stiller waters.

Riley loved it too, could see herself comfortably spending time there. Once again, the sense of belonging flooded her heart like a tidal wave. She had only been here briefly and already it felt more like home than anywhere else in her life – it was beautiful, and her family was here. Despite her preference for adventure and travel, she was gradually becoming addicted to the warm feeling that blossomed in her chest whenever she lingered around this new family of hers. There was something special about having picked it out herself. She chose to be with these people and would continue to make that choice.

“The water feels nice,” Katie purred. Riley chuckled as the violet Mer flopped in the water, her body bowing backwards as she floated.

A flick of her fins brought Riley up beside Katie and she reached out to grab the other girl by the head. “Hey,” Katie protested. “What are you-”

Riley silenced her with a hush and her fingers moved deftly to pull free the tie that was holding Katie’s hair off her face.

Katie tugged free of Riley’s grasp and spun around to face her with a scowl marring her features. “Was that necessary?” she grumbled. She shook her head, causing the locks to plume out by her ears before settling around her shoulders.

Riley studied the tie stretched between her fingers for a moment, flexing and toying with it before she darted back to the surface and slapped it down on the edge of the wooden dock. When she sunk back down and found Katie still staring at her, she shrugged and flashed her fangs in a taunting smirk. “You are still too human for your own good,” she lectured. “For now, you are going to be entirely Mer and live without human devices or behaviors, including speech.”

At that point, Riley swapped out the English she had grown accustomed to using in favor of a common language Katie would be able to understand. As always, there was a slight click in her throat as her pitch changed to the high whistles of dolphin vocalizations.

Katie seemed to hesitate for a moment before she finally nodded and her brows slanted to an expression of determination. “Okay,” she agreed. Riley found herself impressed by how easily the other girl made the switch, managing to sound fluent.

Riley dipped her head and then threw herself forward into even strokes heading towards the narrow mouth of the cove. It did not take her long to notice the inconsistencies and improper methods to Katie’s swimming technique. She had suspected that Katie’s abilities thus far were a mix of self-teachings and Luna’s aid. Having not gotten the chance to observe either of them in the water, Riley began to suspect that Luna would need just as much help. For now, she had to deal with Katie. Rather than say anything and put her off, Riley merely fell in beside Katie close enough that their shoulders brushed and their fins overlapped.

Katie seemed to catch on to what she was doing regardless, because her cheeks colored to a soft pink and she looked away. Riley made no comment and instead continued, using her own fins and tail muscles to gradually correct the motion of Katie’s. With an occasional nudge or smack of their limbs tangling, Katie began to instinctively follow her lead and Riley grinned as her pupil caught on quickly.

“Oh, this feels a lot better; so much easier,” Katie exclaimed, slipping back into human language.

Riley stared her down and cocked a brow. “What was that?” she taunted, purposefully refusing to make the language switch.

Katie ducked her head. “Sorry,” she chirped.

Riley grinned at the correction and then rolled onto her back as she continued keeping pace with Katie. “I have to thank you. Intentional or not, that scuffle was a great way to stretch out tight muscles. It always feels so good to move after being stationary for so long.”

“I could have really hurt you.”

Riley glanced over at Katie’s slumped posture and bowed head. She had begun to slow. Riley chuckled and flicked her fins. She had pulled ahead, so the motion nearly snapped the colorful membranes in Katie’s face. “Do not flatter yourself. You are hardly the most threatening thing I have had to face. You have apologized and I bear no ill feelings regarding the incident. Do not allow guilt to fester,” she pressed.

They had passed through the mouth of the cove into more open waters and Riley hollered, allowing the sound to echo out through the water. Feeling invigorated, she twisted and flicked her tail to gently smack the top of Katie’s head with her fins and stir her locks in the process. “Come on,” she urged. “We shall see if you can keep up.”

Riley flipped back over and darted ahead with her gliders pulled tight to her hips to prevent any drag from slowing her down.

She was careful to keep an eye out to ensure Katie did not fall too far behind or run into problems. Thankfully the challenge seemed to have invigorated Katie, who charged after her just as eagerly and showed no signs of the guilt that was previously shadowing her features.

“You will have to be faster than that!” Riley announced. “Come on, Katie; you want to be a Mer – use your tail!”

“How are you so fast?” Katie called back, her gills flaring noticeably as she panted.

“This is not fast; you have just not had enough practice. Now push your limits,” Riley instructed. “Catch me.”

Katie was clearly working hard, and Riley knew she only needed time to build the speed and endurance she would already have if she had grown up in the ocean. Instead, she decided to test the range of some of Katie’s other abilities. Slowing down, Riley turned sharply and began to weave through the water in a series of twists and sharp turns. She flared her gliders to bank some of the tighter direction changes while keeping an eye on how well Katie was keeping up.

Agility was clearly a stronger talent in the other Mer, as she kept up well, reacting to Riley’s twists and turns with impressive speed. Riley was not giving her all, as it was not about showing off, but rather encouraging Katie to indulge in her nature – however unfamiliar with it she may be.

It did not take long, however, for Katie to show some impressive talent as she suddenly pulled away from behind Riley. Riley saw her out of the corner of her eye, but barely had a moment to react before Katie barreled bodily into her.

The motion was not aggressive, and Riley laughed as they flipped in the water. Riley stretched her muscles, testing her side and finding it tension free and comfortable. Satisfied that she would not aggravate anything with another wrestling session, Riley reacted by grappling with Katie and pinning her to the sand.

Katie squirmed beneath her, her tail lashing as Riley tensed her muscles to pin it. Her bright hazel eyes narrowed with confusion as she stared up at Riley. “Riley, let me up please,” she requested. She pushed back against Riley again in an effort to sit up, but Riley refused to relent.

She tossed her head and grinned down at Katie. “No. If you want up, then get up.”

Riley expected a more playful tussle, instead Katie just slumped and looked away. “I don’t want to fight,” she muttered as she slipped back to English once more. Riley watched her shudder, the way a muscle in her jaw feathered and her fingers tensed.

A soft growl rumbled in Riley’s throat. “I am not asking you to fight, I am asking you to tussle, and we both know you want to. This is the problem you are having, Katie. Stop resisting the urges of your Mer nature – that is why you are losing control. Just let go; it will be alright. Trust me.”

“But-”

Riley shook her head and interrupted. “Do no resist, just react.” When there was no response, Riley cocked her head and her grin widened. “Or are you too timid to handle a scuffle?”

“Riley, I don’t want-”

Riley cut her off once more by covering her mouth with two fingers and releasing a frustrated hiss. She leaned close until their noses nearly touched. “Stop worrying about hurting me. We are friends, Katie; your loss of control has not jeopardized that and it will not do so in the future. Come on, you said you wanted to learn what it was to be a Mer. I am offering to teach you, the least you can do is make it worth my time. Now impress me.”

Finally, this seemed to work as Katie surged beneath her again, her hazel eyes finally shining with the challenge Riley was looking for. Riley let off a bit to give her untrained friend a fighting chance and Katie did not hesitate to take it.

They were soon rolling through the sand, stirring up a gritty storm, and disrupting the previous relative calm of the waters around them. A crab that had been lurking nearby scuttled off out of the way as Riley was thrown into the sand beside it. The wrestling match was far friendlier without the attempt of going for the throat, and Riley quickly found herself having fun. It had been a while since she simply wrestled for the fun of it with another Mer her age, and while Katie lacked any proper strength or skill – and would probably be badly injured in a true fight – there was a raw talent to her sloppy style and Riley knew if she worked at it, she could easily become a worthwhile opponent.

Riley wasted no time in tucking her tail under her and using it to launch herself forward to push Katie back down instead. Clearly caught off balance, Katie fell easily and her tail flapped up. The thicker membrane of her fin clipped down atop Riley’s head and she sputtered, ducking away from the appendage.

She grinned as she was reminded of something Katie had said earlier, about how she and Luna tended to play. She did not imagine Katie was often on the tail end of those skirmishes, but she enjoyed the idea of changing that. She reached out and pressed her fingers into Katie’s sides and began to tickle the other teen.

Katie instantly yelped and jerked, her body contorting as she tried to escape. “Riley!” she gasped. “You cheat – stop it.” Despite her desperate writhing, Katie was laughing uncontrollably, and it was making Riley chuckle in turn.

Suddenly, Katie jerked upright too rapidly – catching Riley off guard – and their foreheads connected painfully.

“Ack,” Riley groaned. She pressed a hand flat on Katie’s collarbone and shoved her back into the sand while her free hand came up to massage the area above her eyes. “You have a rock for a head,” she complained.

“You are not much better,” Katie panted.

Riley glanced down at her and grinned before shifting sideways to allow Katie to sit up. The game had been fun, but it was time to get serious. “Hungry?” she inquired.

Katie nodded. “Yes.”

Riley’s smile widened – Katie was getting far more fluent in common dolphin tongue – and then pushed herself up off the sand and offered Katie a hand. “Good. Time to hunt.”

“What?” Katie faltered.

Riley forced her smile to soften. “It is why I brought you out here. Do you not wish to learn?”

Katie sighed as she sat up and wrapped her arms around her torso. “I guess I was planning on skipping that part.”

“You are not afraid of the fish, are you? Your bite is worse, I promise.”

Katie shook her head. “No, of course not,” she said. “I just…the last time I caught a fish was an accident – and there was something about catching it in my mouth and feeling the life drain out of it that made my stomach flip.”

Riley sighed and chewed the inside of her cheek. That certainly explained Katie’s lack of desire to hunt, but it was a skill she would have to learn regardless. “I cannot break you of that discomfort,” she admitted finally. “It is something you will have to endure and grow accustomed to; but you must learn to hunt.”

“I know,” Katie sighed. Riley leaned back as the other girl pushed herself up off the sand and gave her head a shake. “Okay, I am ready. What do we do?”

“You tell me,” Riley replied. She leaned back on her hands, curling her fingers through the coarse, mucky sand. Her fins swept out over the ground and she stared up at Katie. When Katie’s expression morphed into one of pure confusion, Riley began to laugh. “That is how it is done, Katie. Every young Mer is first taught to hunt by being given a chance to test their skills. They are put in charge of a hunt so the skills they need to improve on can be effectively observed. It was done for me; I will do it now for you. Find us a school.”

Katie shook her head furiously. “Riley, I do not know the first thing about tracking a school of fish,” she protested.

Riley shoved off the sand and brought them face to face once more. “It is not about knowing – it is about learning; trust your instincts. You can do this. You may not be trained, but you are still a Mer; still one of us.”

Finally, something seemed to get through because Katie smiled brightly and dipped her head. Her eyes closed and Riley knew she was lost in thought trying to decide her next move. Riley knew exactly where a school ideal for hunting was. She could taste it in the water. It lurked in her gills as she breathed and lingered on her tongue. Years of experience had trained her to notice without having to search. It would come to Katie in time too, so Riley remained silent to give her a chance to figure it out.

After a few moments, Katie turned in the correct direction and Riley grinned. She caught on fast. “Find something?” she inquired.

“I-I think so,” Katie replied.

“Well then? Let us go,” Riley suggested, gesturing in the same direction Katie was looking. Setting off was easy, comfortable – there was no rush as Katie slowly worked on tracking down the fish she’d sensed. The water was warm, almost lethargic as they swam. The push and pull of the waves crashing at the shore shifted the underwater world, tugging at Riley’s fins and hair, dragging kelp fronds back and forth. A few of the tips tickled over Riley’s scales as they passed over a bed.

“Riley?” Katie finally broke the silence that had settled over them. “Thank you.”

“For?” Riley asked as they began to leave the coral shelf behind in favor of deeper waters.

Katie glanced over and smiled. “You did not have to come out here and bother with me like this. I know it is probably going to make your journey later harder. I appreciate it. It has not been easy dealing with everything that has happened.”

Riley reached out and caught Katie’s hand as they swam side by side. “Anything for a friend. Besides, you are not the only one who is grateful. Luna would not be safe without you. I also owe you my thanks for sharing your family. They are more than I could have hoped for.”

“They are your family too,” Katie corrected. “I don’t have any say in that.”

The statement surprised Riley and she stared hard at Katie. Finally, she shook her head. “We both know that you do,” she argued. “If you did not want me around, I would not be welcome back. You mean too much to Sophie.”

Katie’s response was to snort. “First of all, I would never, ever do something to drive you away. Secondly, you are just as important. Sophie would never cast you out. Why do you think that you owe me anything?”

Riley shrugged. “You are her daughter, Katie; her flesh and blood. I am just a wayward problem that swims in from time to time. I know you are not the type to use that pull, but you do have it and I will not lie – I was concerned about it when we first met and I learned her daughter was alive. It felt like I might lose another home.” Riley cringed as she spoke; she did not like admitting her insecurities like that. It was hard not to feel that way in the beginning though. She had been rejected and faced with a lack of acceptance all her life, and it was difficult to admit how lonely she was sometimes. The fears of potentially losing the first place she had considered a home in a long time had been overwhelming at the time. She was still grateful Katie was a kind and accepting soul, rather than a jealous one.

Riley glanced back up from the seafloor to meet Katie’s gaze, only to find the girl’s eyes sparkling with amusement. “What?” Riley inquired just as Katie started to laugh. “What is it?”

It took Katie a moment to compose herself, but when she did, her tone was serious once more. “Riley, I am adopted,” she announced. “I was nine when Sophie took me in. I am no more important than you are in her life. I may have known her longer, but we are the same; we are family.”

Riley chewed her lip and did not respond. She had not known that Katie was not Sophie’s blood child, but she still felt it did not change much. Their connection may as well have been blood and she said as much in response.

Surprisingly, Katie was in her face then, and Riley reared back in surprise. She had not been expecting her friend to suddenly get so close. “Family is more than what you are born into, Riley. Family are the people you choose to love,” she insisted. She wrapped her arms around Riley and squeezed tightly. It took Riley a moment of hesitation to hug her back. “We are family,” Katie murmured, and Riley’s heart clenched.

The words felt good – warm; they made her feel wanted. Her smile widened and she felt some of the ever-present tension slip from her shoulders as she hugged Katie back and squeezed. “Yes,” she agreed. “We are.”

The hug lasted for a few blissful moments before Katie pulled away. Riley yearned to reengage the embrace – she did not allow herself to indulge in similar gestures of affection very often and it had felt wonderful – but she knew that it was not the time.

“We had better get going,” she prompted. “Since you are so determined I do this whole hunting thing.”


	12. Hunting Expedition

Riley flared her gliders and hovered in the open water as she watched the massive school of sardines race by in a steady, swirling stream. “Are you ready?” she inquired. They had been hovering there for only a few heartbeats and already the anticipation of a hunt was swelling in her gut. She glanced over at Katie, whose body language answered Riley’s inquiry. Her features were set in a grim line, but her posture was loose; she was not likely to back out of the challenge any longer.

Katie offered no verbal response, but she nodded. Riley swung her hand out and gestured for Katie to make the first move. Heartbeats later, they were plunging into the mass of fish. Riley caught one easily, sinking her fangs deep into the flesh and cracking the spine sharply with a savage jar of her lower jaw. While sardines were more of a snack than a meal, she hung back after the initial catch. She was far more interested in observing Katie’s efforts. To her surprise, she was not doing poorly. Katie had this strange tendency to claw at the water as she swam, and Riley wondered if it was lingering instinct from how she might have swum when she was human. Despite that, she was showing off some more agility – Riley was impressed with her raw talent for it, though she still needed a bit more practice to refine it – and easily wove with the sharp turns the panicked fish made in a frantic attempt to escape. She was keeping up well with the school and did not seem to require any aid, so Riley was content to leave her to it.

She stuck close however; they were not the only Mer hunting the school. The small hunting party that was currently corralling the fish was not large enough to be feeding an entire pod – else they may have had an issue – so there was plenty to go around and share, but she still wanted to make sure that Katie was not caught in a conflict. The girl lacked the ability to properly read body language and social cues in order to diffuse a problem.

Another Mer darted by Riley, forcing her to pull up short. It was tight quarters with the group of them moving out of sync as the school began to dissolve and scatter.

In her moment of hesitation, Riley nearly missed the situation that happened next – and was unable to call out a warning – as Katie veered sharply after a chosen fish, barreling through the school after it and colliding with another Mer she clearly had not noticed behind the mass of silver bodies. Riley winced as they hit in what looked like a painful head on crash. The force knocked them both away from the school and down several paces in the water.

Riley dove after them, pulling up short beside Katie who was wincing and rubbing her forehead. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Katie groaned before they both turned to focus on the other Mer. She was a ragged type – littered with more scars than Riley bore – and looked furious, with a curled lip and bristling posture. The sharp spikes that ran the sides of her tail and torso flexed and her crimson fin lashed back and forth through the water. It was missing a decent divot – certainly enough to throw her swimming off balance, and the jagged tips looked like they were probably still sensitive despite how old the wound appeared to be. Her scales were dark, but vivid, a rich brownish purple shade that almost looked more like ink when she moved. Paired with a massive plume of midnight hair and pale skin, the Mer had an intimidating appearance. What unnerved Riley the most was the jagged scar that cut across the left side of her face, directly through the eye, which had dulled to a milky white. She was almost certainly blind in that eye, which may have explained why she failed to dodge Katie’s unintentional assault. The other eye – a vivid turquoise – shone with a burning rage.

“It was an accident,” Riley said. “We do not want to fight.”

The other Mer scoffed and bared her fangs prominently. “Right, first you interrupt our hunt, then your incompetent companion over there attacks me; but you do not want to fight.”

“Hey!” Riley barked back. “Back off! No one was hurt, there is more than enough fish to share. She did not mean to hit you; just let it go.”

When the other Mer growled in response, Riley matched her pitch. She did not actually wish to fight but would if she had to.

The other Mer was not alone, and her two companions drifted down to flank her. The one who had accidentally cut Riley off eyed them suspiciously. He sported blonde hair and pale lime scales, with a darker set of tail fins that stirred the water with every stroke he made to stay aloft. He looked just as reluctant to fight as Riley felt, so her attention shifted to the other.

His black hair bobbed around his shoulders in the current, gaze hardened as he glanced her over as well. His shoulders – as well as his arms from the elbows down – were plated in dark indigo scales. His tail was similarly coated in the dark, thick armor. As they travelled lower on the tail, the scales grew gradually darker until they became as inky as his hair. In contrast, his fins were a soft sky blue with prominent ice pale veins flowing through them. Two smaller spiked pectorals protruded just above the base of his tail and were mirrored by identical fins along his forearms.

The three had the potential to be a formidable group and Riley knew aggression was not the best avenue, despite how naturally it came. She would not be able to win that battle and Katie could get seriously injured as well.

The darker scaled male wrapped an arm around the girl and pulled her closer and pressed his nose against her jaw. “Serena, are you alright?”

Some of the tension slipped from Serena’s posture and she angled her head to nuzzle him back. “Yes,” she muttered. “Just a pair of idiots stirring up a conflict.”

The male’s eyes narrowed further, and he glared back evenly at Riley. “Is there a problem?”

“Not unless you start one,” she grumbled.

“We did not start it,” Serena growled.

“Serena, Xavier, if it was an accident then maybe we should just get back to hunting,” the blond boy suggested. Riley dipped her head at him in appreciation. He clearly did not want a conflict either.

For a moment, Xavier looked like he might back off as well. He turned his attention away from Riley and hugged Serena a little closer. Then he frowned and brought a hand up to her face. Serena winced slightly as his fingers brushed over a bruise rapidly forming across the side of her face where she and Katie had connected. Instantly his gaze whipped back, and he snarled.

Riley sighed and shook her head. She had not experienced it to know, but she wished the bond mates shared did not lead to irrational reactions.

Katie then drifted forward, sorrow in her gaze and similar discoloration beginning to mar her features as well. “I am really sorry, I-”

Riley cut her off by grabbing her arm and shaking her head. Katie’s voice was warbled with concern and it would only create more issues if she reverted to her preferred English. “Look, we are not out here to cause a problem. This was a misunderstanding. Katie is new to hunting and trying to learn; she made a mistake, nothing more.”

The confusion that stretched across all three faces made Riley tense. She had never cared for judgement; not of herself or others. There was no need for it.

“What pod are you from that they do not teach hunting until the end of adolescence?” Serena’s tone was more suspicious than judging and Riley reluctantly swallowed her displeasure.

“Umm…” Katie trailed off, and sympathy blossomed in Riley’s heart. This was not the type of first impression she wanted her people to make on her new friend.

In the face of Katie’s hesitation, Riley spoke up again. “She is not part of a pod; Katie was raised on land. She was held captive until recently and has spent less than a moon in the ocean over her life,” she explained, picking her words carefully to avoid further outbursts. “She is still learning how to fend for herself.”

“I really am sorry,” Katie added. She rubbed her arm and shifted uncomfortably. Her fin flicked to keep her steady. “I did not even really know any of you were there; I should have been more careful.”

Riley finally began to relax as she watched the tension leave Serena, who previously she deemed the deciding factor of a brawl. It was clear by the history painted on the other girl’s marred form that she had been through an ordeal or two of her own.

“You should have,” Xavier agreed. His tone had softened, though he still held Serena close as though he expected Katie and Riley to lash out at any moment.

“But it was an accident,” Serena conceded. “You should be more careful. Most of us do not appreciate taking the brunt of a headbutt like that.”

“Trust me,” Katie replied, her hand coming up to rub at the side of her face. “I do not plan on doing it again; it was not pleasant for me either.”

Serena chuckled and shook her head. “I would believe it.”

The third – still unidentified – member of their group grinned widely and jerked a hand back behind them where the school of sardines were rapidly funneling out of the area. “We had better get going to catch back up and get back into the fray. You two want to come with us?” he offered.

Riley snorted as both Serena and Xavier snapped their attention to their comrade with less than thrilled expressions. It was clear they had no desire to have them along.

“Janong!” Serena hissed in a low tone, though she clearly knew Riley and Katie would still hear her.

“What?” the boy asked, his expression twitching into a frown. “There is plenty to go around, we just have to be a bit more careful around the new hunter.”

“I am not so sure that is a good idea,” Xavier pressed. “We are better as a trio.” His gaze slid back to Riley with an almost regretful shrug of his shoulders. It was an awkward situation and while he clearly wished it was a more private conversation, he was not apologetic in his decision – they did not want them around. It was fair; Riley did not expect them to be welcoming after the previous incident – accident or no – and could not blame their reluctance to tolerate a joined hunting party.

Deciding to spare them any more of the awkward conversation, she shrugged. “Thank you for the offer – Janong was it? – it is kind, but I think it would be best if we held off on further lessons until another time. Sorry about interrupting your hunt, I hope it is prosperous.”

Janong’s shoulders slumped and his grin dropped into a disappointed frown. “Alright,” he sighed. “Maybe another time; group hunting can be fun.”

Riley shook her head and pursed her lips. She did not anticipate his group welcoming them regardless of how skilled or poor hunters they were. “Perhaps,” she responded out of politeness. She had not hunted in a team in a long time and was not certain she desired it any more than Serena and Xavier seemed to want to trust Katie and her to join them.

She twitched her fins and cocked her head. Really, she admired the group. They were close knit, slow to trust but clearly depended on one another. Serena and Xavier had twined their tails during the conversation – they were clearly a mated pair and close friends with Janong as well. She was glad they had a good group – it was not always easy to find when striking out on one’s own; Riley knew from experience.

“Well, good luck with the training,” Xavier offered with a wave.

“At least you know you can stun the fish with your skull,” Serena quipped. The comment could have been offensive, if it hadn’t been for the temporary relax of her stern exterior as she winked her one good eye at Katie.

“Bye,” Janong said.

“Bye,” Katie parroted. Riley frowned at the somber tone in her voice. Had something upset her?

The other three were already turning away, so Riley twisted around to place a hand on Katie’s shoulder and turn her back the way they had come. “Are you alright?” she inquired as they began the swim home at a slower pace than Riley had urged them forward at earlier.

Katie’s fin strokes were sluggish and her posture was slouched. It was creating drag in the water and Riley struggled to match the slow, awkward pace.

“I’m sorry,” Katie sighed in English. “I screwed up; I nearly caused a fight.”

Riley caved and followed her back into her preferred tongue. “No, Katie; you did really well; you tracked that school perfectly. You just need a little more work on expanding your senses. They were not quite as bad as they appeared – just a little rough and distrusting. I am not quite so different.”

Katie’s brows furrowed and she cocked her head. “You do not seem so distrusting to me,” she countered. “We’ve only known each other like two weeks.”

Riley paused to consider the human measurement of time, worked it to roughly half a moon, and nodded in agreement. It had been less, but it was not so much the time that was prevalent in Katie’s point. “That is different. You are not hard to trust, for one, and I have never felt so at home as I do with your family; I trust you all because I know that none of you would do anything to harm the others,” Riley admitted. “And besides, someone has to help you learn these skills. Today you fumbled, but you showed real ability, and you did start to trust your instincts rather than be controlled by them. Did you feel it? You will be a Mer to be reckoned with before too long.”

Katie grinned and nodded. “You know, you’re actually pretty good at the whole pep talk thing.”

Riley shook her head. “Well, I cannot exactly have you moping about, now can I?” she quipped.

The taunt pulled a grin across Katie’s lips and the other girl scoffed. “Nah, I’ve seen through you. You act tough, but you’re all soft and sweet in the center.”

“What did you say?” Riley countered with a low hiss and a quirked eyebrow.

Katie stuck her tongue out between her fangs and crossed her eyes. “You heard me,” she shot back. She flicked her fin hard and shot ahead, startling Riley. “Come on, softie,” Katie called back over her shoulder. “Your turn; catch me if you can.”

Riley scoffed in response. Her eyes narrowed with the challenge and she flared her gliders, forcing them back to give herself an additional boost of speed as she shot after her friend. “Hardly much of a challenge,” she called up as she quickly began to gain on Katie.

Katie laughed aloud and brought her arms up, pushing them back to her sides and repeating as she clawed at the water, her tail lashing steadily in her efforts to keep her ahead.

Riley was impressed to see her already utilizing the swimming techniques that she had shown her earlier. Despite her desire to tackle her friend to the sand and declare herself the victor of the challenge, Riley forced herself to slow slightly. Katie was laughing and enjoying herself, and Riley did not want to risk disheartening her by catching up too quickly.

The sentiment did not last when Katie glanced back over her shoulder to make another quip. “Come on slowpoke; I thought you would be faster than this. There’s no way I’m out-swimming you.”

Riley growled playfully and caught up in another stroke of her fins. She shot up to keep pace with Katie, flipping on her back underneath her friend to grin up at her. “Fast enough for you?” she inquired before twisting back over and zipping ahead. Clearly all Katie had needed was a push to bring out her partially dormant Mer nature, because she was improving at an exponential rate and continued to keep decent pacing.

At the rate they were flying through the water, it did not take them long to reach the mouth of the cove once more, and Riley spread her gliders wide once more to pull herself to an abrupt halt. She glanced back at Katie, who was still decorated with a dark bruise. “The one time I take you out with me and you have to go and get banged around,” Riley sighed. “Sophie is going to strangle me. How about we just agree that you accidentally hit a rock, instead of a potentially hostile Mer?”

“You want me to lie to my mother?” Katie clarified.

Riley grinned reluctantly. “Not lie specifically, just…help me keep my scales?”

Katie rolled her eyes and shook her head. “No, never a good idea. Come on,” she refused before swimming up over Riley and continuing towards the dock.

Riley groaned before reluctantly following her. She was going to get another lecture for sure. The worst part was she did feel guilty. She should have been watching better. Katie was hardly going to perish over a bruise and did not seem overly put out by it, but it still should not have happened.

Reluctantly, she surfaced alongside Katie, shaking her bangs out of her face to keep dripping water out of her eyes.

Katie had already pulled herself out of the water and was perched on the deck. She slapped a hand down on the hair tie that Riley had left there and began to pull her fingers through her wet hair in order to pull it back again. Riley snorted and rolled her eyes, and received a small wave of water to the face in response. She sneezed and shook her head, spitting out a bit of water before shooting a glare up at Katie – who was grinning unapologetically. Riley chuckled in response.

They both looked up when the glass back door slid open and Sophie stepped out onto the deck. She had one hand up to shield her eyes from the afternoon sun, now high in the sky.

Her face lit up when she turned and saw the two, Katie still sitting on the deck, Riley leaned against it with her arms folded. She raised an arm and waved. “You’re back!” she exclaimed as she hurried over. “How did it go? Did you- Katie! Are you alright, what happened?” Sophie’s tone morphed from excitement to worry as she knelt beside them.

“Mom, it’s okay. I’m alright, really. It was an accident. It doesn’t even hurt,” Katie explained. Sophie lifted a hand to touch the side of Katie’s bruised face and Katie winced and shied away. “Okay, it doesn’t hurt as long as you don’t poke it,” she protested as she gently swatted Sophie’s hands away.

Sophie chewed on her lip but held her hand away from Katie’s face. By the way it twitched, Riley guessed Sophie was resisting the urge to examine the bruise more closely once again. “What happened?” she repeated.

Katie shook her head. “Mom, really; it’s alright. Riley was teaching me how to hunt. I swam through a school of fish without being able to see what was on the other side and had a bit of a collision, but I’m okay.”

“It was my fault,” Riley spoke up finally. She grimaced and shrugged in Sophie’s direction. “I should have been watching her better.”

Sophie sighed and shook her head. “No, it’s no one’s fault. I’m just glad you’re both alright.”

There was a moment of silence that was quickly broken by the door opening again. Riley glanced up to see Lewis standing there, waiting for Luna to crawl out the door. She had clearly chosen to forgo the wheelchair with only the short distance to go. 

Riley braced her palms on the deck and hauled herself the rest of the way out of the water to perch on the edge of the deck in time for Lewis to join them all, crouching beside Sophie and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Luna dragged herself over on Katie’s other side and Riley felt her heart swell.

Katie’s words from earlier still rang in her mind and she could not help basking in the warmth of their collective presence for a moment. She wanted to remain in that moment for a long time, but knew it was time to be on her way; she had a long swim ahead of her – and that would be the easy part.

“Time to go?” Sophie inquired. Her voice was terse and strangled, and Riley half expected the woman to try to stop her.

Riley nodded. “I cannot linger any longer,” she agreed ruefully. She had never anticipated having to see her pod again and she was not looking forward to stirring up painful old memories.

“Just be safe, please,” Sophie pressed. “We can figure something else out if necessary; don’t take any risks.”

Riley dipped her head in agreement.

“Safe travels,” Katie added. She leaned sideways to bump their shoulders. “You still have to teach me some of those acrobatics I’ve heard about.”

Lewis clapped a hand down on her shoulder next and Riley started, her gaze whipping back to meet his. She wished he would stop doing that. “I’ve checked the data feed a few times; your new tracer is fully operational, so we shouldn’t have anymore surprises,” he said. Riley did not quite grasp what he was saying, but nodded along anyways; he would make sure she understood what she needed to. “The protective shell should hold up fine, but just in case; try not to crash into anything out there.”

Riley nodded her agreement. That was all she really needed to know. “I will be careful; thank you, Lewis. I will be back as soon as I can, but it may take me a little while. It is best not to expect me back before the next moon.”

“Just be careful,” Sophie repeated as she wrapped her arms tightly around Riley from behind. Her warm breath tickled Riley’s neck, but she relaxed into the hug for a moment. “We’ll wait for you.”

When she finally pulled her arms back, Riley shifted her weight in preparation to dive back into the water. Just as she was about to launch off the wooden planks, Luna spoke up and stopped her. “Wait.” Luna’s tone was soft and hesitant, but Riley paused nonetheless. “Please do not go, Riley.”

Riley frowned and cocked her head, her bangs slapping against her neck as she moved. “What do you mean? I have to go; do you not wish to see your mother and father?”

At the question, Luna twisted away with tears brimming in her eyes. While one hand was bracing her up on the deck, the other curled around her torso in a half-hug and she began to chew on her lip. “I do,” she replied eventually, her voice quaking in her throat as she spoke. “I do, I just – I-I do not know if they would want to see me. I am not who they must remember.”

For a few heartbeats, Riley could not come up with something to say, finding herself too stunned by the announcement. Just how much self-loathing was festering within her young cousin?

A quick survey showed that no one else seemed overly stunned, but they all moved to offer their own versions of comfort to the girl.

Giving herself a shake, Riley leaned forward to beat them all to it. She met Luna’s gaze and held it, dipping her head. “You are right,” she agreed. “You are not the same little girl I knew years ago.” Luna tensed at the words and her gaze began to water as tears brimmed just beneath the lids. Riley heard Sophie’s sharp intake of breath and knew the woman wanted to correct her, but Riley held up a hand to stop her. “That much is true, but you are wrong if you think that means that your family would rather not know you.” Riley reached out and grabbed Luna’s hand, lacing their fingers together as she did. “No matter what you have endured, no matter how you have changed; you are still their daughter and they will be desperate for the chance to get to know you now.”

“How do you know?” Luna pressed. She tucked her head and Riley watched a tear roll down her cheek.

Riley sighed and reached out to lift Luna’s chin with a finger. She swiped the tear off her cheek and smiled. “Because I know them, and because I have been getting the chance to know you. You are not the disappointment you seem to think you are.”

Luna’s lip quivered and she hiccupped softly before lunging forward. Her arms wrapped tightly around Riley’s neck, her fingers curling so her nails scratched over the skin of her shoulder blades. Riley took a breath and then brought her arms up to hug the frail girl back. She squeezed gently and held her while Luna clung to her.

“It is okay,” Riley assured her. “I cannot imagine how frightening this has to be, but your mother and father are going to love you.”

Luna did not reply right away, but the soft quakes of her body and the wet droplets running down Riley’s back revealed the depth of her distress. Uncertain of how exactly to comfort her, Riley began to awkwardly pat her on the back.

“Riley?” Luna finally spoke up in a quaky voice.

“Yes?”

“Do you…Do you think they would be angry that I do not want to be called Kera?”

Riley took the confirmation to heart. She had imagined that was the reason everyone else had gone back to calling her Luna, but it was good to know for certain that it was her cousin’s desire. “It is just a name, Luna,” she responded finally. “They will understand if you do not want to keep it.”

Luna sighed and sniffled softly. “I want to want it,” she whimpered. “But I do not. It means nothing to me; I do not even remember once having it. I was alone for so long, in so much pain with nothing but memories that faded more and more every day. For a long time, I did not have a name, no one had called me anything kind in years. Katie did not give me a temporary name to answer to; she gave me an identity and it is the only one I have now. But I do not want them to think that means I do not want to be their daughter.”

The heavy sobbing had returned, and Riley gripped Luna by the shoulders to gently pry her away so she could look her in the eye. Her heart clenched at the sight of Luna’s broken expression, unable to imagine what the years had been like for her cousin. “Luna, choosing not to keep your birth name does not mean that.”

“Yeah,” Katie agreed. “I don’t go by Katherine. I prefer the nickname. And besides, you faced extenuating circumstances. I’m sure your parents will understand.”

“Of course, they will,” Lewis agreed.

Sophie reached forward and tucked a lock of Luna’s hair behind her ear. “And like I said before – in the worst-case scenario – you still have a home right here,” she promised. “Stop letting this eat at you.”

“But-”

Riley held up a hand to silence Luna’s attempt at a protest. “Riley is not my birth name,” she admitted.

“It isn’t?” Sophie inquired with a cock of her head.

Riley shook her head. “No. But Luna? Your mother was the first in our pod to accept my desire to change it. I was still so young that not too many took my wish seriously. But my Aunt Becca has always been immensely supportive and was more than happy to call me Riley. She will have no problems calling you Luna, I promise.”

Luna nodded, but worried at her lip a little. “I am nervous,” she admitted finally.

“I can tell,” Riley countered, giving the younger girl a friendly bump on the shoulder. “But you should not let your fears consume you; I will be back soon enough, and everything will be fine, you will see.”

With clear hesitation, Luna slowly nodded her head and forced a smile. “Okay,” she agreed. She raised a hand to wipe at her eyes. “I am sorry; you are going through immense trouble for me; I really am grateful.”

“I know,” Riley said. “But I do not mind.” Luna’s smile widened a little.

To fill the brief silence that then stretched, Sophie leaned forward with a curious grin on her face. “So, what is your real name?” she inquired.

Riley shook her head and stuck her tongue out. “Riley,” she pressed. “That is my real name, the one I choose. My birth name is irrelevant.”

Sophie frowned for a moment like she wanted to press further, but then she simply shrugged and sat back. “Riley suits you anyways,” she said finally.

Riley grinned and nodded. She appreciated that they were willing to hold their curiosity back; she did not like vocalizing her birth name, and it warmed her once again that this new family of hers was willing to simply accept her regardless of what details she chose not to offer up. She leaned forward and gave Luna one more quick hug and offered the rest of them a smile. “I do have to go now; I will be back soon.”

She did not wait any longer before twisting and diving off the dock with their echoed ‘goodbyes’ sounding behind her.

Once again, Katie’s statement rang in her head as she flared her gliders and lashed her fins. The girl was right; this was the family she chose to love, and they made the emotional hardships she was about to face worth it.


	13. What Festers Within

Katie ripped the tape off another box and pulled the flaps open to reveal carefully wrapped bowls and plates. The new kitchen was wide, with only a partial half-wall separating it from the rest of the open floorplan of the ranch style beach house. She was sprawled on the cool tiles while Sophie stood next to her, putting things away in the cupboards well out of Katie’s reach. Sophie was mix and matching the placement of things so that some dishes were in the lower cupboards where Katie, Luna, and Riley could access them easily, and above where it was less awkward for her and Lewis to reach.

Katie appreciated the forethought. Everything about the new home seemed custom suited to their unique situation and it still astounded her how much effort her mother had gone through for them.

Reaching into the box, Katie fished out the first plate, ignoring the soft clinking noises as things shifted in the box. She pulled the paper wrapping away and handed the plate up to Sophie, who set it up in on a higher shelf. Katie grabbed another, a bowl this time, and balled the wrapping up beside the other piece to be thrown away later. This dish joined the other in the higher cabinet.

She got halfway through the box before she propped her forearms up on the rim of the box and slumped against it. The bruise that had formed earlier had faded to more of a red irritation on the side of her face. It no longer hurt and though Sophie had fussed over it for a bit, Katie had almost forgotten it was there entirely.

She was still busy replaying through the experiences of that morning. While the unintentional fight had been horrifying, everything else really had felt liberating. To swim like that, with no barriers or limits to how far she could go had been amazing. She and Luna had never strayed far from the boat the only other time they had been out in the ocean, so it truly felt like a first experience, and Riley was impossible to keep up with. It felt like she could just let go and give in to some of the desires that were rooted in her being now. Riley had been right. But despite being a few hours ago now, she was still feeling the exertion. Exhaustion hung heavily in her limbs and her breathing still felt labored.

“Are you alright?” Sophie’s voice cut through Katie’s thoughts and she reopened her previously closed eyes.

“Hmm?” she hummed, having not quite heard her mother. Sophie chuckled and repeated herself, and Katie nodded. “Yes, I am fine,” she replied.

Immediately, Sophie’s head tilted and her eyebrows knitted together. Katie mimicked her frown, not quite understanding Sophie’s confusion. Then she realized that she had spoken too shrilly and that it was not English that had come out of her mouth. She blushed brightly and covered her mouth, coughing slightly. “I’m fine, sorry,” she tried again, shifting back.

Sophie chuckled and shook her head. “Alright, apparently that’s something I’m going to have to look out for now. I have to say I’ve never thought I’d have a question answered in dolphin whistles.”

“Sorry,” Katie replied. She ducked her head as she felt the warmth rise in her cheeks. “It’s been a little confusing, switching back and forth with talking to Riley.”

“Riley speaks English,” Sophie pointed out with a quirked eyebrow.

Katie shook her head. “Not in the water, she doesn’t,” Katie countered. “And she insisted I didn’t either when we were out there.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Sophie agreed as she leaned against the counter. “I’d always wondered about her English. Her and Luna are pretty impeccably fluent, but it always seemed strange that two entirely separate species would develop the same language.”

Katie shook her head. “Definitely not a native language; we’re just apparently impressive linguists by nature.” She pushed herself off the box and sat up to stretch her arms above her head as a wide yawn split her lips.

“I can finish up here; why don’t you go take a nap?” Sophie suggested.

Katie shook her head. “No, I’m fine.” She glanced down and reached back into the box for another dish. When she looked back up, Sophie had crouched on the other side of the box and was staring at her.

“Kate, you have not been getting enough sleep lately. You and Luna both have so many nightmares; I’m worried about you. No offense, but you look like you’ve been hit by a truck right now. I can handle unpacking the kitchen,” Sophie assured her. “Why don’t you go back outside? Relax in the sun or in the water for a bit, you’re looking a little shaky and pale.”

Katie shook her head and swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She tried to keep as positive an attitude as she could, and did not want to admit often that her hands shook and her throat closed if she was left alone to dwell with her thoughts for too long. Her nightmares were just as vivid and brutal as Luna’s seemed to be, and she constantly stressed about their past catching up with them, and sometimes she just felt like falling apart. “I want to help,” she pressed finally. And she did. It helped to keep busy, to feel useful; Sophie did so much for her, especially now, and Katie wanted to find a balance where she fit into that in a helpful way.

She dug yet another plate out of the box and - after tearing through the paper - handed it up to Sophie. Her mother pursed her lips before shaking her head and accepting the dish. Katie smiled and reached back in for another out of the dwindling stash. She was tired, her arms felt heavy and a little shaky, but she was content to do this task, even if it was small.

When the box was finally empty, she snatched the box cutter from the corner of another unopened box before Sophie could grab it, and began to fully disassemble the box they’d transferred the dishes in.

“Stubborn girl,” Sophie muttered as she stood there supervising Katie’s progress. Katie chuckled, but the sound broke off into a sputter. She set the knife down to cover her mouth as the cough became a little more violent.

Her chest was heaving by time she got herself under control once more. Sophie knelt beside her and squeezed her shoulder with one hand, while offering out a glass with the other. Katie accepted it gratefully and tipped the cup back to gulp down the water. It was a little warm, and the glass tasted faintly of paper and dust, but she was desperate for the drink.

She must have chugged it too quickly, however, because it only brought on another coughing fit. Sophie gently rubbed her back, patting her between the shoulder blades until she settled down once more.

“Are you alright?” Sophie inquired finally.

Katie sputtered once more and then nodded. “Yeah,” she gasped. “I’m alright. It’s just dry and I think some water went down the wrong pipe.”

Sophie didn’t immediately reply, so Katie glanced up inquisitively to find Sophie’s brows furrowed. She didn’t look convinced. She brought a hand up to run over Katie’s head and down over her braid. “Maybe you do need to take another little swim then.”

Katie shook her head. It was not that she was opposed to getting back in the water – part of her yearned for it desperately – but while she was adjusting better to having the tail and enjoying it, she wanted her life to be more than simply ruled by unnatural instincts; she wanted balance. “Maybe later,” she decided. “I really am alright. Though, maybe just one more glass?” she requested reluctantly. She couldn’t reach the sink right now to get it herself, though she felt bad making Sophie have to do it.

Thankfully, the woman didn’t seem to mind as she smiled and nodded and took the glass back out of Katie’s hands. Less than thirty seconds later, she handed it back filled to the brim in cool water. Katie drained it just as quickly. “Thank you.”

Sophie nodded and then moved to drag another box over. She picked up the box cutter from where Katie had dropped it and proceeded to rip the top open. Inside were the pans and other cooking utensils. “I just need to get some of this stuff organized and then I think we all deserve a break for lunch. I appreciate the help, but I’m alright in here. Why don’t you go check on Luna?”

Katie wanted to argue, but reluctantly bit her tongue. She appreciated that Sophie cared and knew her mother sometimes just preferred to complete tasks quickly on her own, so she let it go. There would be plenty of opportunity to assist later, and she was rather curious to see where Luna had gotten off to. She was glad the younger Mer was growing more comfortable and beginning to do things on her own – Luna had still remained very glued to her in the first few weeks when they’d gotten to the park; she didn’t even like not being in the same room – but she still worried about her friend. Luna could get just as lost in her thoughts as Katie could, and it was often worse for the other girl.

“Okay,” Katie agreed. “But you have to let me help later.”

“I promise,” Sophie laughed, then waved her hands in the general direction behind Katie. “Now shoo.”

Katie rolled her eyes but turned in place. The house had a wide, open floorplan and the floors were sleek, smooth hardwood that made it relatively easy to slide across; their scales didn’t catch and instead slipped effortlessly across. Katie eyed the wheelchair a few feet away but decided she didn’t really feel like clambering into it. It was clunky and a hassle half the time, and her arms had grown a lot stronger having to pull herself in an out of it the past few weeks.

Choosing to leave it where it was, she placed her palms flat on the cream tiles of the kitchen and pulled herself forward. She curled her tail, flicking it back out to slither over the ground.

“You need a hand?” Sophie inquired.

Katie shook her head. “Nah, this is actually easier.”

“Alright. Just be careful, you don’t want to rub your tail raw.”

“I won’t,” Katie called back as she dragged herself further out of the kitchen, across the dinning room area, and around the corner. The walls of the beach house had been painted a soft sandy shade, with off-white trims. It was bright and open, with large windows framed by flowy curtains that didn’t hinder the bright flow of sunlight into the house. Katie loved it.

She poked her head into the first room she came across, gently pushing the door open a little wider. Lewis was seated cross-legged on the floor; bent over the parts of an office chair he was putting together. Katie cocked her head and gazed around. The desk and bookcase that had clearly been moved in yesterday before they came out. A study. It made sense; Lewis still had to go back to the park for work each day, but he’d need a place to bring reports home and Sophie was hardly the type to sit idle all day either, despite there being a manager now.

Lewis suddenly looked up as he reached for a screwdriver and seemed to notice her. A wide grin pulled across his lips, showing off a full, toothy smile that contrasted brightly against his earthy skin tone. He brought a hand up to sweep some of the dark, thick curls off his face. “Hey Kiddo, everything alright?”

Katie nodded and curled her tail closer to her body, letting the large fin tap gently on the floor. “Yeah. Sophie kicked me out of the kitchen,” she reported with a laugh that Lewis mimicked. He knew just as well as she did what Sophie could be like. She was glad Lewis was staying with them. Back at the park, he had never been far off, and came around often to the apartment, but she was overjoyed that he and Sophie were getting on so well and wanted to live together; Lewis was practically an uncle figure and it would have been weird not to get to see him everyday now that they’d moved.

Lewis nodded and then gestured to the corner of the room. Katie glanced where he was pointing and caught sight of Luna’s light blue fin, just visible behind a stack of boxes.

At first, a burst of concern flared in Katie’s chest, making her lungs constrict, but she forced the negative emotions aside. Lewis didn’t seem concerned, so Luna was probably alright.

Katie pulled herself the rest of the way into the room and around the boxes. Luna was curled up with one forearm flat on the floor to support her. Her long hair was spilling over her shoulder, concealing her face. Beside her was an open puzzle box. The girl was clearly lost in thought, so Katie reached out and pulled some of the brown curtain out of the way. Luna’s head jerked and her crystal gaze redirected to Katie’s face. Below her was a partially completed puzzle outline.

Luna’s cheeks tinged faintly pink and she ducked her head. “I got distracted,” she murmured bashfully.

“I can see that,” Katie giggled. She faintly recalled Sophie suggesting Luna pull out the different games and puzzles from the boxes earlier when she had asked if she could help. Clearly Luna had taken the suggestion seriously; for a time. “What’s this one?” Katie inquired.

Luna reached over to one side and picked up the lid of the puzzle box, which she handed to Katie.

Katie accepted it and glanced down at the lid. The picture on the front was of a jungle cave, with a dark river cutting through the bottom of the puzzle. Out in front of the cave, two tiger cubs were wrestling. One was on it’s back, batting a paw up at the other cub, who had one arm raised. Katie smiled. It was a cute picture, though the heavy greens in the picture would make it a challenge, based on the two-thousand-piece icon written on the box.

“This is a nice one,” she said as she set the lid aside.

“What are they?” Luna inquired as she poked a finger in the direction of the cubs.

“Tigers,” Katie replied. “They’re a species of large jungle cat.”

“Tigers,” Luna repeated. “They are pretty. But why are they fighting?”

Katie picked up another edge piece of the puzzle and patted it down into place along one line of already attached pieces. “They aren’t really fighting,” she assured Luna. “They’re just cubs, siblings probably; they’re just playing.”

Luna hummed in response and pushed another piece into place.

Katie bumped Luna’s shoulder. “We used to play like that,” she pointed out. There were not many pleasant memories from the Lemuria Institution, but Katie held their games close to her heart. She loved her little sister; they’d been through so much together.

“I guess so,” Luna muttered in response. Katie frowned and studied Luna’s expression, which had fallen and she was chewing on her lip. Her posture slumped and Katie’s gut clenched at Luna’s reaction. She was clearly struggling with the reminder. Katie hated that the good things were so soured by the bad. She wanted to brighten that mood.

Pursing her lips, Katie pondered for a moment, and then she bumped Luna again. “You know, tiger cubs play by batting at each other with their big fluffy paws,” she said.

“Oh?” Luna’s gaze flicked back to her.

Katie grinned. “Yeah. Rather like this,” she stated. She raised a hand and brought it down on the back of Luna’s head. She was careful to ensure the blow was gentle, but used the momentum to push Luna’s head down. She then twisted to tickle Luna’s sides, where she tended to be most ticklish.

Luna squealed in response and jerked away from Katie’s fingers. Her eyes narrowed and a smile pulled over her thin lips as she launched herself at Katie.

Laughter barked from Katie’s throat as they tumbled over each other. Luna wound up sprawled on top of her while Katie’s spine was pressed into the floor. The gravity had caused Katie’s tail to flail up, and a look of stunned surprise crossed Luna’s face as Katie’s fin flopped down to whap her on the head.

They both just stared at each other for a moment before Katie began to laugh uncontrollably, her tail smacking back down to the floor. After a moment, Luna’s laughter rose with hers.

“Not all of it was bad,” Katie commented when they both began to settle down.

Luna stared down at her for a moment silently before she nodded, her eyes glistening. “You are right,” she agreed. “It is just hard to think about sometimes.”

“I know,” Katie agreed. Then she bucked her hips and dumped Luna on the floor beside her.

“Hey, if you two are going to roughhouse, take it outside,” Lewis protested with an amused tone.

Katie flipped onto her belly to stare at him. She poked her tongue out between her teeth. “Oh, come off it Lewis,” she teased. “You’re just salty because we’d kick your butt if you joined in.”

Beside her, Luna giggled, and Katie saw her nod out of the corner of her eye. Lewis quirked an eyebrow. “Oh, is that so?” he countered.

Katie’s smile widened and she nodded. “Yes,” she confirmed. “It is absolutely s-” she broke off as her voice cracked and she began to sputter once again. The fit quickly grew more violent and Katie rolled onto her side, using one arm to prop herself up – her other hand covering her mouth – in an effort to breathe a little easier. It didn’t help and she continued to choke loudly, her sides heaving and chest tightening painfully. She wheezed and swallowed a mouthful of saliva as she tried to soothe the inflamed itch in the back of her throat.

“Katie?” Luna inquired; her voice thick with concern.

Katie shook her head and waved a hand in Luna’s direction. “I’m fine,” she rasped before being overtaken again. She winced and gasped, no longer able to properly inhale as her gills flared against her will.

“You’re not fine,” Lewis argued. He was standing over her now, and he crouched down to place a hand on her chest. “Take a breath,” he instructed. He was pushing in on her ribs and Katie choked as she tried to force herself to inhale.

She shook her head and pulled away; the pressure he was applying was making it too hard. She bent over as her coughing graduated into dry heaving, drool leaking down from the sides of her open mouth.

Her fit had drawn Sophie’s attention as well, as her mother came hurrying in with another glass of water. “Katie, you need to relax,” she urged. “Take a drink.”

The rim of the glass bumped Katie’s lips as Sophie held it up to her and she took it in a shaky hand. She sputtered and spilled water across the floor as she tried to gulp down a few mouthfuls.

For a moment it helped, and she was able to take a deep breath, only to be overtaken once more. The glass slipped from her fingers and shattered noisily across the floor, splashing water over her scales. She turned her head and buried her nose in the crook of her elbow as she continued to hack noisily.

Her eyes were squeezed shut, but she could feel a hand on her back. It brushed her braid out of the way and then began to rub along her spine, patting somewhat forcefully between her shoulder blades. “Just breathe, Kate, breathe,” Sophie murmured.

When the fit finally subsided again, Katie slumped sideways – her body felt heavy with exhaustion – and Sophie’s arm was around her instantly, pulling her close. She smoothed back Katie’s hair, and Katie relaxed into her hold for a moment.

After, when she tried to pull away, Sophie’s grip tightened. Katie opened her mouth to protest. “Mom, it’s just a cough. I’m fi-”

“You’re not fine!” Sophie cut her off. She grabbed Katie’s wrist and twisted her arm so she could see the crook of her elbow. Katie frowned as she studied the crimson globs coating her skin.

“Katie? Are you okay?” Luna asked softly.

“I-” Katie broke off with a sigh. She didn’t know what to say. She felt heavy and out of breath, but aside from the violent cough; she did not feel sick, not really.

“She’s going to be alright,” Sophie stepped in to assure Luna. “We’re going to figure it out. For now, hon, you go in the other room, okay? We need to get this glass cleaned up. Lewis?”

“Come here, Katie,” Lewis’s voice was calm as he leaned in and slid a hand under her tail.

Katie’s heart sunk, but she turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. Lewis hugged her close as he hefted her off the floor and she sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, kid,” Lewis assure her. He patted her shoulder and carried her down the hall to a new room. This one had a few boxes with her name written on it, and a mattress on the floor. It had already been made up with her sheets and blanket. The mattress on the floor was much easier for her to access than having a bedframe. Lewis knelt back down and laid her down on the bed. “Just the cough?” he asked.

Katie shrugged. “I feel really tired,” she admitted.

“Just today?”

“Mostly,” she agreed. She had felt a little off yesterday as well, but nothing too noticeable.

“It’s probably just the stress,” Lewis stated. “You haven’t been sleeping properly and you’ve probably just picked up a bug. But just to be safe, I’m going to go get my bag.”

Katie sighed. She didn’t want a medical examination; she was tired of feeling like this, but she didn’t protest. She knew neither Sophie nor Lewis would accept anything less.

“Stay here,” Lewis requested. His hand plopped down on her head and ruffled up the locks. She sighed again but nodded. There was no sense being difficult about it.

She watched him leave the room, then burst into another round of coughs. It was just as violent as the last, and she slapped a hand over her mouth. When she finally settled back down, she pulled her hand away to find more bloody flecks coating her fingers. She panted as she stared at the slimed digits. She bit her lip as she curled her fingers into a fist. They were right; there was something wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have some rather exciting news to share with everyone! Recently, some dedicated fans and myself set out to start a project known as Merlantic Studios, which now has two animators working with us to bring Cry of the Mer to life in an animated show. While we're still in the very early stages of development, we wanted to reach out to the rest of the community. Check out some of our social media, which I'll link below, to keep informed about future updates as well as concept art and other sneak peeks that we'll be releasing as we go.
> 
> https://twitter.com/MerlanticLLCOff  
> https://www.instagram.com/merlanticstudios/  
> https://www.deviantart.com/merlanticstudios


	14. Grand Schemes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to give this chapter out a little bit early. There won't be a chapter on Monday because of this, but please enjoy regardless.

His footsteps echoed loudly on the tiled floors as James hurried down the hall towards the security office. He threw open the door, which crashed against the wall with a loud bang. He paused for a moment to properly button his lab coat – which he’d hastily shoved on while hurrying out the door. Dr. Patron was already in the room, his cheeks puffed up and bloated into an unpleasant pomegranate hue. He was leaned over a young woman who was whiter than a sheet and had shrunk down in her chair, shouting at her.

Auldon sighed and took his glasses off his nose, taking a moment to fish a cloth out of his pocket to wipe the lenses down. Only once the frames had been replaced on his face did he bother to speak. His tone was calm, but firm, with the lingering trace of anger he was struggling to suppress. “What do you mean, they’re gone?”

The woman in the chair started at his statement, but quickly spun her chair around, rose, and scurried over to him. She was clearly eager to be out from beneath Patron’s hovering presence. “I don’t know, Sir,” she simpered breathlessly. “I was on duty with a colleague all night. Nothing showed up out of the usual on the cameras, but then the alarms linked to heat sensors went off. It’s designed to do that if the mermaids’ heat signatures aren’t picked up by the computer for more than fifteen minutes. We do it that way because sometimes the signatures aren’t immediately detected, especially when they’re in the cave; this way we give the system time to scan and find them to avoid false alarms.”

“But the cameras don’t show anything?”

The woman shook her head. “I’ve been back through the footage around that time twice. There’s nothing.”

“Imbecile!” Dr. Patron hissed as he stomped over. The other scientist was seething, based on the shade of his face – which had managed to darken further – along with his bared, grit teeth and the pulsing vein that was bulged out across his forehead like a fat snake. His hand swiped out and knocked a holder full of pens off the desk.

The woman flinched as the container and the pens clattered noisily to the floor. Dr. Patron thrust his face into hers and snarled. “How could you possibly lose two fish in a high security environment? They did not simply get up and walk away!”

The woman whimpered. Her lip quivered and her soft brown eyes began to glisten with tears. James felt pity for her. She was clearly new staff, and just a monitor tech; she was not equipped to deal with the situation and the furious scientist wasn’t helping matters any.

James stepped up and placed a hand on Patron’s shoulder, forcibly pulling the other man back a step. “Let’s just relax for a moment,” he prompted before turning to the worker. “What’s your name?”

“Ashley Higgens, Sir. I just started two weeks ago,” she responded.

“Can you show me the footage, Ashley?” Auldon inquired.

Her short brown hair bobbed around her face as she nodded. She hurried back to her chair and James followed her. There were several screens in the room, but she pulled the footage up on three of them in front of her directly. “These three are the cameras around the tank. The two top floor views and the bottom one.”

James was silent as he studied the screens, time stamped at eleven pm. “The alarm was triggered at eleven forty-five, you said?”

“Yes Sir,” Ashley confirmed.

“Speed up to twenty minutes prior. Then let it play through normally,” he ordered.

There was some noisy typing on the keyboard as Ashley followed through with the command. The camera footage began to speed through – showing nothing unusual for most of it – and then abruptly halted at eleven thirty.

Behind him, James heard Richard Patron muttering to himself and pacing back and forth. James ignored him. He remained focused on the footage with pursed lips. He watched the guard on the screen walk by the tank on his rounds. James knew the man – recognized him by the spiked haircut – he had worked as a guard for at least the last five years. Jonathan Finley. James spoke to him from time to time when leaving the office late.

As he watched Jonathan make another round around the tank about ten minutes later, something else occurred to James. Jonathan took Wednesday nights off; he’d started doing so about three months ago when his wife had to start working late those days for her job.

“Ashley – who was on duty last night?” he asked.

“Umm,” she paused and began typing something into the computer in front of her, clearly pulling up the schedule. “Daniel Weston was the guard on duty last night.”

“This is not the footage from last night,” Auldon reported. “The guard there is Jonathan Finley; he doesn’t work on Wednesdays.”

“What do you mean that’s not the footage from last night?!” Richard snarled as he stomped back over and jabbed a finger at the screen. “Look at the timestamp!”

Auldon sighed and sunk into the chair beside Ashley. It was true; the date and time were indicative of last night. “Is there any chance there’s more footage?” he asked Ashley. It was unlikely, and he knew that – they all knew that – but he still waited patiently as the woman scanned the video files. “No,” she finally reported. “Not unless the timestamps were swapped, but that could take weeks to sort through and confirm.”

“Then get started!” Richard shouted as he slammed a hand down on the desk. “This is inexcusable; I refuse to lose those rotten little demons!”

“Don’t bother,” James interjected. “If someone was skilled enough to scramble the footage, they likely just replaced it altogether. Last week’s footage is clearly being played on a loop. I doubt the cameras were even functional.”

“Are you saying that whoever did this just gets away with it?”

James turned to regard Richard when the accusatory statement morphed to a low hiss. The vein on his brow had become even more prominent, but James took a breath and laced his fingers together. He severely disliked Richard, but losing his temper as well would not help matters. “No. But the footage will do nothing for us. I suggest we focus on tracking the microchips. Bailey and Suzie both have them, a primary and a backup; it’s unlikely anyone would suspect a backup. Turn it on if we haven’t already and track them down.”

***

James slipped his arms into his coat and pulled it the rest of the way on. He took his time buttoning it up, preferring it closed. He tucked his hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels.

He found himself thinking back to that first day after the theft. It had been absolute chaos, and the longest day he’d endured in quite a while. He suspected today would be no different. When they’d found the footage tampered with, they’d gone immediately to the tracking chips. Of course, it hadn’t panned out and they’d found all four chips – still active – left in a Ziplock bag in the back of a silver SUV. A family travelling across the state was found inside. Mother, father, three kids and their dog. They were certainly not hiding two mermaids in the back and had been terrified when intercepted. Whoever had pulled off the heist was highly skilled, and James still didn’t know who it was that was actually responsible for it. He was sure he would enjoy the conversation with them when he finally did find them, however; he wanted to know how they had accomplished some of what they did. 

He drummed his fingers on his desk for a moment, then leaned over his computer to type out a quick memo to the rest of his team. He wanted to debrief them after his own meeting – which was likely to be more unpleasant than usual – and outlined in the email that they were to meet him in exactly two hours.

He was just gathering up a few necessary folders in preparation for heading off when he heard the soft rapping of knuckles on his office door. He turned to see Miss Barnes hovering in the doorway, the door only slightly ajar. She had recently slashed her hair short and James – who tended to notice small details – still found the jaw length bob a little jarring, though he kept the opinion to himself. Her brown eyes were narrowed slightly as she stared in at him.

He waved a hand to beckon her forward. “Come in. What is it, Miss Barnes?”

“I heard there was a board meeting being assembled,” she said as she slipped into his office and pushed the door shut a little more behind her.

“You heard correctly,” Auldon confirmed as he turned back to gathering up his papers. “I’m about to head down there now.”

“So…does that mean there’s been any updates?” she prompted.

Dr. Auldon turned back to look at her and sighed, readjusting his glasses with his free hand. It wasn’t that she annoyed him, in fact she had proven herself quite the valuable member since her promotion all those months ago. He did not regret adding her on. While her methods could be a little crude and unnecessarily deceptive, she’d revealed to be a decisively dedicated worker, always willing to take on extra jobs and hours. He knew she was interested in furthering her career rather than displaying loyalty, but for the moment he didn’t care. But she had seemed to take the escape – and he did believe it to be an escape over a theft – very personally and had thrown herself into every task they’d allow her that contributed to tracking them down.

“Nothing has changed,” he stated finally. “The board is just growing a little impatient is all; they want an update.”

A frown crossed Jenny’s features and she shifted her weight, clasping and unclasping her hands a few times before finally taking a step forward. “Sir, if I may; if the board is impatient, why aren’t we moving forward with this? I’d be more than happy to go myself if you require.”

“That will not be necessary, Miss Barnes, though I appreciate the offer. At this time, my position on the matter has not changed,” James stated.

Jenny’s frown lines deepened and she held up a hand, her lips parting in the start of a protest that died with a gurgle in her throat when James shook his head. “The matter is final. If you are interested in attending the meeting, you are welcome, but you will do so as a silent observer and nothing more.”

It seemed to take her a moment to wrestle with her internal opinions, and Auldon’s frown deepened. He needed to be on his way and was growing weary with the conversation. Finally, she seemed to arrive at the conclusion that her thoughts were best kept to herself because she closed her mouth and nodded, folding her hands behind her back as she did so.

James adjusted the small pile of folders in his arm and walked past her to leave the office. She kept true to the requirements, with only the sound of her heeled boots to indicate she was still following him.

The board room was on the far side of the facility and as such, it took James almost fifteen minutes to make the trip. When he arrived, he found Richard already present, standing moodily at the front of the room with his lab coat open to show off black slacks and a knit navy sweater vest tucked into his waistband.

He looked just as annoyed as Auldon felt at being dragged away from their work for a pointless meeting to go over the exact same things that had been discussed numerous times.

Auldon shoved his disapproval away, however, and forced a polite smile. There were four of the six board members in the room, each with varying levels of displeasure scrawled across their features. James dipped his head in each of their respective directions. The first – O’Brian – nodded back, then rested his hand idly over a large coffee cup. Beside him, a woman sat clicking a pen repeatedly. And the final two had their heads bent over an open folder. James couldn’t see exactly what they were looking at, but they looked like pictures.

Jenny had slipped in behind him, but she leaned against the wall near the doorway and remained silent.

“Dr. Auldon, now that you’re here, we can begin discussing the rather unideal standstill this project seems to have come to,” the first woman stated as she rose from her seat and set her pen aside. James knew her name was Rickenson, and he regarded her calmly. Her blue eyes were hard with displeasure and her curly auburn hair – which had been pinned back off her face – bobbed as she moved. “The board is very concerned about the return of the Lemuria mermaids. We’ve expended too much money into this project to lose them now and if word were to get out exactly where and how Bailey was acquired, it could bury us.”

“It won’t,” Dr. Auldon soothed, holding his hands up. “I assure you, no one wants them back more than I do, but the situation has to be handled delicately. It puts them in too much danger to go public with Katherine Waters’ real identity; they won’t say a thing. Besides, we know where they are; it’s just a matter of collecting them when the time is right.”

“James,” O’Brain addressed him. Auldon frowned slightly at the informality; it was rather rude. “We believe now is the right time. The board doesn’t wish to delay any longer.” He raised a hand after speaking to tussle some of his messy brown hair, then adjusted the collar of his grey suit coat.

“It’s not time yet,” James rejected with a shake of his head. “This has to be handled delicately. We know where they are, but so does Katherine’s adoptive mother. Sophie Brooks is not likely to let her go a second time; not without becoming quite the vocal nuisance.”

“There are other ways of ensuring she’s kept quiet,” the third board member – James was pretty sure his name was Rodgers – replied.

Before Auldon could respond to the ominous comment, Dr. Patron stepped forward. Surprisingly, they had been in agreement about holding off on recovering the mermaids, though James wasn’t quite sure why the other scientist was so willing to wait given how enraged he’d initially been about the loss of Suzie in particular.

“I agree with James on this matter,” he stated. “Though less out of concern for Miss Brooks; I’m sure she won’t be much of a problem when the time comes. But rather, there are other details to consider.”

“Like what?” the final woman demanded. James was unfamiliar with this particular council member. Her long black hair was pulled into a high tail and her almond eyes were framed by latte toned skin. She wore a red blazer and her frown only deepened with every passing second.

“We have discovered that Suzie and Bailey are not the only two mermaids Miss Brooks is housing.”

“Yes, yes, we know about your elusive third,” Rickenson dismissed with a wave of her hand. “As I recall, that was the excuse the first time – but that one has since returned and left again, and you still haven’t acted. We should have all three of them by now if you two incompetent fools weren’t dragging your feet about it.”

“Please reconsider, Mrs. Rickenson,” Patron continued as though unfazed by her angry retort. “There is a reason we’ve allowed them to remain in Miss Brooks’ custody for the time being. You see, as it turns out, our little blue gemstone has a family out there, a pod, and it just so happens that this third mermaid knows them. That changes things significantly. She is going out to sea to return with little Suzie’s parents. That puts not just the three mermaids in one place, but a fourth as well as a male…” Dr. Patron trailed off for a moment and James rolled his eyes at the unnecessary dramatic flare. “It also leaves us with a potentially viable breeding pair.”

This seemed to finally get the council members’ attention and they began to murmur to one another. “How do you propose we explain suddenly acquiring that many of them when they were previously considered not to exist and have since been presented as elusive and rare?”

Despite his desire to jump in, James remained silent as the board members were not looking at him, but instead at Patron – as per usual – so he reluctantly gritted his teeth and kept quiet.

“That’s simple, really,” Richard continued as if he had planned it out already. He probably had. “We can say that our mermaids were stolen and sold off to a private collector to add to their collection. We can state that the others were rescued as well and being kept through recovery. We don’t yet know what state the new ones will be in, but our third seems to show several signs of reckless behavior that would make a mistreatment story highly believable. And if they all happen to be in prime condition, it’s easy to fix – temporarily of course – which will allow us to properly present them as ill-suited to return to the wild. If we are patient and play our cards right, we could end up with a pod, rather than a pair.”

Finally, all four heads were nodding in unison and seemed to be quite pleased with this potential scenario. James was less thrilled at the idea of allowing his peer to mutilate the new creatures, but he accepted that it may be a necessary scenario to buy them more time; it would be rash to reclaim them now.

“Very well,” O’Brian agreed. “We will hold off. But I want preparations completed in the meantime, and the moment the new stock returns to Miss Brooks’ care, you are to move and tie up any loose ends. We cannot afford any more delays or mistakes. Dismissed.”

James didn’t need further prompting – he had work to do – so with a dip of his head, he turned and made his way out of the meeting room with Miss Barnes hot on his heels. He could practically feel the curiosity rolling off her and internally sighed at having to answer more questions. Katherine Waters was becoming more trouble than she was worth.


	15. A Break In

The sun was high in the sky and scorching, but Sophie found the heat pleasant as she lay sprawled on a lounge chair on the deck. She had spread a towel out underneath her and her face was shaded by the deck awning, leaving the rest of her body to enjoy the heat. She was wearing a teal bikini top with thick straps that tied behind her neck and a pair of black nylon shorts.

Lewis was still at the park – though she didn’t imagine he would be gone too much longer – Luna was currently swimming around the cove. Occasionally Sophie saw her breach, but she knew the girl wouldn’t leave the lagoon, so she wasn’t concerned if a few minutes went by. Judging by the small line of smooth rocks, small shells, and bits of sea glass that were lining the edge of the deck, Luna was content exploring the still-new environment.

Sophie propped herself up on her elbows in order to glance back at the open back doorway, her head cocked to listen. Katie was inside lying down on the couch, and Sophie was staying away to allow her to try getting some rest, but every few minutes she just wanted to listen to see if she could hear the girl coughing again. It was silent, however, so after a moment Sophie settled back into the chair and relaxed once more.

It had been a few days since Riley had left, and Katie had continued to deteriorate since then. Her cough was worse and more frequent, she’d stopped sleeping entirely, and was now suffering from migraines. Sophie couldn’t help but pity her.

Lewis had been monitoring her as best he could, but they frankly didn’t know enough about the Mer as a species to identify what sort of disease Katie might have contracted. He was trying to treat her like she had a case of the flu or a bad cold, but it was doing little to help so far.

Sophie glanced back towards the water and saw Luna leaned against the deck. She’d raised her arms to cross them flat over the wooden planks and rest her chin atop them. Her gaze was directed at the open door and her eyes sparkled with unspoken emotion. Sophie watched her chew on her lip and pull herself partway out of the water. Luna’s gaze slid to hers and the young girl startled as though she had not expected Sophie to be looking at her in return.

Sophie frowned and shook her head. Luna sighed audibly and threw her weight backwards into a dive and disappeared back beneath the water. Sophie felt guilt grip her gut with frigid talons as she watched the preteen’s quiet temper flare. Luna tended to be very sweet natured, and she had never once been aggressive or problematic even when Sophie was firm about things, but this was really testing the poor girl.

Sophie had been insisting about keeping the two Mer apart. Until they knew more about what Katie had contracted, she didn’t want to risk Luna catching it too. The younger girl had been improving dramatically in developing some independence, but she still preferred to be closer to Katie. Sophie hated to keep them apart when they found so much comfort in one another, but she couldn’t risk Katie’s bug spreading.

Luna had been a little huffy about it, and had alternated between avoiding everyone else in favor of being by herself, or seeking out immense amounts of attention and affection from Lewis and herself. Sophie was fine to leave her to whichever mood she was in, out of acknowledgement that the situation wasn’t easy.

She watched the bay a little longer, but Luna didn’t resurface. Sophie chewed her lip; she didn’t like the idea of Luna brooding too long on her thoughts but also knew the girl needed space. If she didn’t resurface again in a little bit, she would go over and check on her.

She had barely laid back down before another sound caught her attention. She propped back up and turned to examine the source of the scrapping rumble. Katie was dragging herself out the door with her head bowed, hair falling free of the loose ponytail it had been tied in previously. Her arms were shaking and she looked two shades paler then when Sophie had last left her.

Sophie moved to get up, but Katie had already closed most of the distance. She flopped her arms on the side of the lounge chair and buried her head in the crook of the limbs.

“Katie?” Sophie prompted. Though she kept her voice incredibly soft, Katie still visibly flinched. “Honey, you need to go back inside and get some rest.”

Katie shook her head. “Don’t want to be alone,” she whimpered.

Sophie’s heart sank at her daughter’s broken tone. When she was little, Katie hated being left alone while she was sick, but as she got older she began to grow a bit more independent. She preferred to brush colds off with a bit of medication, or retreat to solitude in her room if it was strong enough to kick her down. It broke her heart to know that her daughter was sick enough to be reverting to childhood tendencies.

She reached out and placed a hand carefully on Katie’s head, gently drawing her fingers open and closed to massage at her skull through her hair. Katie hummed, but the sound strangled into a whimper. “Did you take anything for the pain?”

“Didn’t help,” Katie murmured.

When Sophie moved her hand down to rub between Katie’s shoulders, she could feel the heat rolling off her skin. Frowning, Sophie propped herself up a bit more and pressed the back of her hand against Katie’s forehead. “Katie, you’re running a temperature. I’m sorry, but you need to go back inside and lie down.”

“No,” Katie refused with another shake of her head.

Sophie sighed. “Alright, come here,” she decided. She leaned down to heft Katie’s tail up onto the lounge chair with her. She pulled Katie into her arms – just like she used to when Katie was much smaller – and the girl instantly cuddled against her and pressed her face against Sophie’s shoulder.

Sophie hugged her and continued to pet her hair. She was concerned about the temperature of Katie’s body and the fact that the girl was shaking. She suspected that the girl was developing a fever. “Will you come inside if I come sit with you?” she inquired. It wasn’t like Katie to be pointlessly noncompliant like this and she suspected it was due to a fever state, but she didn’t like the idea of Katie being out in the summer heat like this.

Instead of responding, Katie merely curled into a tighter ball against Sophie. She sighed and sat up, earning a muttered groan from the teen. Scooping her daughter properly into her arms – bridal style – Sophie stood up and nodded at Luna, who was perched on the edge of the deck, watching. “You come inside too, okay?” she requested. She was comfortable with the safety and privacy of the new home, but it was still new and she couldn’t help preferring to know that the younger girl was alright as well. It was just easier to have them both in the house. Luna dipped her head in acknowledgement but didn’t vocalize her agreement.

Sophie made her way into the house and took Katie to her room. It was still only partially set up, since Sophie was more concerned with letting Katie rest than she was about trying to unpack and set up the bedroom. She knelt in order to lay Katie out on the bed. Katie whimpered and her fingers curled around Sophie’s wrist. “Stay.”

Sophie bent over and kissed Katie’s burning temple. There was a water bottle sitting on the nightstand in Katie’s room – just about the only piece of furniture properly set up at the moment – and Sophie grabbed it and set it next to her daughter. “It’s okay,” she soothed. “I’m not going far. I just want to run a cold bath for you so we can try to break the fever.”

“No,” Katie moaned and her grip on Sophie’s wrist tightened. Sophie frowned. The behavior was quite unlike Katie. The girl used to have her fair share of accidents – though hers were far less life threatening, she could even rival Riley – and was fairly adjusted to medical procedure and taking care of herself in order to recover. Now that she was behaving poorly about it, Sophie was growing even more concerned.

She gently peeled Katie’s fingers off her wrist and stroked her knuckles. “Katie, we need to get your temperature down. I want you to drink some water while I’m gone and I will be back in a few minutes, okay?”

She heard Katie whimper as she rose and left the room, but she didn’t turn back to acknowledge the noise. It broke her heart to see her daughter in such a state, and it terrified her not to know what was wrong. Lewis was brilliant, but he could only do so much, and she no longer had the luxury of taking Katie to a doctor.

Sophie tried not to stress too much about the situation as she crouched down and dropped the plug into the bath. The tub was larger than the one back at the apartment – thankfully – so it would make it so much easier for Katie to fit comfortably. Sophie twisted the faucets and began to run water into the basin. She stuck her fingers beneath the stream to test the temperature. She needed to bring Katie’s temperature down, but if it was too cold right away, it might send her into shock.

Once she was satisfied with the temperature of the ankle-deep layer of water in the tub, Sophie turned to return to the bedroom and instead found Katie in the hall, halfway to the bathroom. She had stopped crawling forward and was cradling her bowed head in the palm of one hand while the other kept her propped up.

Sophie scooted backwards in order to reach the girl and wrap her arms around her. “You were supposed to stay in bed and wait for me,” she scolded gently as she rubbed Katie’s back and held her tightly. Katie’s body was quaking and she was no longer holding herself up, instead slumping bodily against Sophie.

“Sorry,” Katie whimpered.

“It’s okay,” Sophie assured her. She carefully rose back to her feet, pulling her daughter up with her. “Let’s get this taken care of.” She closed the distance between them and the waiting bathtub in a few steps, and then set Katie down tail first into the water.

“Cold,” Katie complained with a shiver. Her fin curled beneath her as she tried to coil into a ball.

Sophie frowned and reached down to gently pull the limb back out; she wanted Katie stretched out and her tail as submerged as possible, not coiled into a ball. The water was barely below room temperature. “I’m sorry, Kate, but we have to bring your temperature down. Roll onto your belly for me, please.”

She found herself holding her breath as she made the request. Katie was not behaving like herself and Sophie suspected the fever and lack of proper sleep to be at fault, but she hoped that some rationality was still prevalent, otherwise the next few steps would be difficult.

Despite her hopes, it was clear the fever haze was triumphing over Katie because she seemed set purely on base desire alone and started trying to haul herself out of the tub. “No, too cold. Let me out,” she demanded. Her arms were shaking as she tried to pull herself over the lip of the tub and Sophie became instantly concerned that the girl would slip and hurt herself.

“Katie, no!” she scolded firmly as she pushed her daughter back into the water. A low growl rumbled in Katie’s chest in response, only to break off as she regressed into a violent coughing fit.

Sophie wrapped an arm around the girl as she coughed, rubbing her back and trying to help soothe her. But Katie was still shaking and squirming even as she choked. Her fin flared up as she lashed her tail while trying to twist and pull herself back out of the water. The motion sprayed the lukewarm water everywhere and Sophie had to jerk back to avoid being smacked in the face. Katie hissed again between coughs and – although her head was bowed – Sophie could see the red staining around her lips. She was going to overwork her body at this rate.

Ignoring the risk of grappling with the girl, Sophie stepped over the rim of the tub and knelt to carefully press her knees down on Katie’s spine so her weight would hold the girl down. She snaked a hand around to press against Katie’s chest while her other hand gently patted her between the shoulder blades. “Deep breath,” she encouraged. “Settle down, you’re alright.”

After a few minutes of squatting like that, Katie’s coughing gradually began to ease off, so Sophie stopped rubbing and instead reached for the shower nozzle. It was on a hose, so she was able to pull it down and turn the water on to start hosing Katie down with it. She set the temperature to slightly cooler than what the water they were in now was at, and Katie began to thrash and whine beneath the stream.

Sophie grunted and was forced to press a hand on Katie’s back to force the girl down flat in the tub. Thankfully the girl had gills, so she didn’t have to worry about the water level getting high enough to cause her any problems, though she did keep an eye on Katie’s neck just in case her illness gave her any issues with breathing through them.

She reached her one arm back to lower the temperature further before replacing it between Katie’s shoulder blades as the thrashing teen nearly bucked her off. She was screeching at this point, tossing her head and gnashing her teeth in a way that caused Sophie’s heart to constrict. Katie had only ever had a fever this bad once, and it had ended with her being rushed to an emergency room – which was no longer an option.

“I know, I know, it’s okay,” Sophie murmured, trying to calm the girl. She winced as Katie’s tail bucked beneath her and she felt the scales cut into the flesh of her thighs. Gritting her teeth, Sophie ignored the sharp prickles of pain as the scales ripped at her and instead tightened her leg muscles for a better grip to hold her daughter in place. She had never imagined she would ever be forced to hold Katie down like this and it was not a feeling she cared to endure.

Strengthening her resolve, Sophie continued to gradually reduce the water temperature until it was chilly and Katie began to shiver. She was fighting less, but Sophie wasn’t sure if that was because she was growing weaker or because the water was working and the fever was starting to break.

Regardless, Sophie was panting and shaking, both from exhaustion and the chill that was spreading through her legs now submerged in the cold water too. At least she could ease off a little bit; she didn’t want to keep her weight on Katie any longer than necessary in case she started to cough again.

Once Katie slumped completely down into the water, Sophie turned the shower off and simply rubbed her daughter’s back, keeping an eye on the gill slits that had pulled free from her neck and gaped wide, revealing the soft pink tissue underneath. They seemed to be working fine, but Sophie didn’t like how pale the insides looked and made a note to get Lewis to examine them further. He knew more than she did about gill-function after all.

“How are you doing, Kate?” Sophie finally asked now that Katie had fallen silent for a while. “Can you sit up for me?”

She shifted off Katie to sit on the side of the tub and was relieved when Katie slowly pushed herself up and rolled back over onto her backside. All traces of her earlier fit had died away and left a pale, shaky girl in its place. She leaned her head back against the tile of the bathroom wall and wrapped her arms around her scaled chest. “It’s so cold,” Katie whispered.

Sophie clucked her tongue softly and brushed a sopping strand of hair off Katie’s face. The girl looked like a pasty ghost and it broke Sophie’s heart. “I know, hon. I need you to sit here just a little bit longer, okay? We’ve got to get your temperature down,” she instructed. She took Katie’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I really mean it, Katie; stay here this time. I’m going to go get you some medication and then you can go lie back down. I’ll be right back.”

Katie’s throat jerked as she swallowed heavily and nodded. She was still slumped against the back of the tub and her eyes were squeezed shut.

“Hang in there, Kiddo,” Sophie murmured as she squeezed Katie’s shoulder before standing and making her way out of the bathroom. She made her way into the kitchen and began rummaging in the cupboard she’d dedicated to holding medications, beginning to sift through the bottles. She wanted something to help keep the fever at bay but would also help Katie sleep because the girl was in desperate need of some proper rest, but she also had to be careful because she didn’t want to overload Katie’s system. Food was one thing, but these medications were designed and dosed for humans and she was no longer certain Katie classified enough for all the different over-the-counter medications to be safe anymore.

She was just about to pull back – having found some night time cold medication that should be mild enough to try – when someone reached around and clapped a hand tightly over her mouth.

Sophie’s heart lurched in her chest and her cry of surprise was heavily muffled as she squirmed in the intruder’s grip. Lewis wouldn’t make a joke like that and Sophie felt adrenaline pour through her veins to match the fear rampaging through her nerves.

She tried to jerk and twist her head away, but her assailant’s grip was firm, and she couldn’t manage to maneuver properly. She froze as she felt nails scraping lightly over her neck. Whoever it was lifted the chain Sophie’s locket hung around and pulled it taut. It wasn’t being used to strangle her, however, and after a moment or two of fumbling, the chain fell slack and was pulled away from her throat. That caused the arm holding her to loosen its grip slightly and Sophie took advantage of it by pulling forward and twisting around, her mouth opening to scold or scream depending on what was necessary.

Standing in front of her, almost completely focused on the necklace, was a tall, broad-shouldered woman with earthy skin and thick dark tresses. She was dressed in a pair of black tights and a black undershirt that left most of her shoulders exposed. Her arms were corded and strong, and Sophie wasn’t surprised her assailant had held her so effortlessly. She certainly didn’t know the woman, who was no longer looking at her, but had one hand raised with just her index finger and seemed to be indicating for a moment of silence.

Sophie had no intention of complying with that, turning to grab the cellphone she’d left on the dining room table. As she moved, her gaze slid to Luna – who really did give her pause – the girl was sprawled on the couch with a finger to her lips and though her head was cocked slightly with confusion, she didn’t seem the least bit concerned that the strange woman was there.

That alone made Sophie stand rooted where she was and watch the stranger. If Luna – who was cautious of everyone – wasn’t stressed out or defensive, there was something more going on.

The woman had popped the locket open and was using a narrow switchblade to pry out first the photo, and then the backing. Sophie’s heart clenched and she wanted to protest the destruction of the necklace, but her voice lodged in her throat at the joint silencing motions they had both made.

Katie hadn’t been thrilled at seeing the necklace when they’d initially been reunited and tried to get Sophie to toss it, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She understood Katie’s distaste – and wasn’t thrilled that the gift had been used as a manipulation tactic against her daughter – but at the time it had been a final connection to the daughter she’d believed was deceased. There was too much sentimental attachment to it now, as it had been a source of emotional comfort over the months of grief. She explained that to Katie and reminded her that regardless of who bought the locket, the idea and the card had come from her alone and that was what meant so much. The teen had reluctantly agreed, but Sophie still mostly wore it under her shirt to prevent sour memories from glaring her daughter in the face.

When the back popped off and fell to the floor, Sophie chewed her lip and watched the woman twist to pry the two sides apart. The little hinge snapped under the pressure and the entire locket fell apart in her hand.

The woman reached into the wreckage and pulled out a thin twist of three wires with a small black nub on the end. Sophie felt her eyes widen as the stranger rolled the nub between her fingers and then crushed it with a sharp snapping sound.

Then she sighed and dumped the wires and the ruined remains of the necklace into a plastic bag which she tossed into the trash. “I’m sorry if I startled you, but we couldn’t talk while that was active.”

“What was that?”

“A bug,” the woman sighed. “Tracker, microphone, the works.”

Sophie’s heart skipped a beat and she felt her stomach lurch. “So that means…”

“They know,” the stranger confirmed. “Everything, basically from the moment you put it on. The move was a good idea, but I’m afraid it will have been entirely ineffective.”

Sophie shook her head, her knees feeling like gelatin as she wobbled over to a chair and sunk into it. She glanced over at Luna, who now wore a horrified expression. She was staring at Sophie desperately whilst picking at the couch. Forcing herself back upright, Sophie made her way over to the couch and sat back down, pulling Luna into her lap for a cuddle as she did.

The woman followed her over and plopped a hand down on Luna’s head. “It’s good to see you again. You’re looking a lot healthier now.” She then turned to Sophie and held out a hand. “I never introduced myself – my name is Lukshia.”

“She helped bring us here,” Luna added, her voice barely above a whisper. “Sophie, are we going to be okay?”

Sophie tightened her grip around the preteen and kissed the crown of her head. She didn’t have an answer for Luna, so all she could do was attempt to reassure her through physical affection.

Luna’s reaction was to grip her tightly and bury her face in Sophie’s shoulder. Her breath was warm against Sophie’s skin, and she cradled the young Mer closer in response. “It’ll be okay, Luna,” Sophie attempted to console her. There was no response from the child and Sophie winced. Luna clearly needed comfort and the last thing she wanted to do was deny her, but she still needed to take that medication to Katie; she didn’t like leaving the feverish girl alone this long. “Luna, hon, I need to go get Katie. I’ll be right back, okay?”

“I can get her,” the woman – Lukshia – offered. “You’ve got your hands full; where is she?”

Sophie hesitated. She didn’t fully trust this woman – she didn’t know her well enough – but Luna seemed comfortable around her and she had just saved them from further disaster. “She’s in the bathroom; she’s sick and we were trying to break the fever. It’s just down the hall.”

Lukshia was silent for a moment, then curtly nodded and walked off down the hall. Sophie held her breath for a moment, her heart thudding in her chest. She was normally very accepting and willing to trust, but everything that had happened in the last month had forced her to reevaluate that mentality and she found herself bracing for any sort of warning indicator from her daughter.

Thankfully, the concern wasn’t necessary as Lukshia appeared a few minutes later with Katie in her arms. Her daughter was limp, her breathing ragged and she’d paled even more. Her head was flopped against Lukshia and while she looked a little confused, she showed no trace of panic or distrust.

“What’s going on?” Katie slurred as Lukshia lowered her down onto the couch beside them. Immediately, Katie slumped and

Sophie stretched an arm out to pull her daughter into a sideways embrace.

Katie was shaking heavily, so Sophie contorted around her to grab the small, knit throw blanket draped over the couch. She tugged it free and then pulled it around Katie’s shivering form. “We need to get some medicine into you,” she decided. Katie didn’t respond, just coughed weakly and curled up into a tighter ball beneath the blanket.

Lukshia had grabbed the bottle of pills Sophie had left on the counter before their unorthodox introduction and offered it out along with a glass of water. Sophie frowned – having not heard her even leave or the tap start to run – but she accepted both with a grateful nod of her head. Lukshia was quiet, which normally wouldn’t bother Sophie, but the woman was intimidating and she wasn’t sure how to feel about the silence.

She had other priorities, however, and twisted the top off the bottle and shook two of the tablets out into her palm. “Here,” she urged as she held her palm up and offered the glass out.

When Katie got them both down and drained the glass, Sophie held an arm out to let her get comfortable. Luna was already dominating her lap, but Katie still chose to squeeze closer and lean against her as well.

“What’s going on with this?” Lukshia asked as she dragged a chair over to sit backwards on it and lean her arms over the top of the chair back. She nodded at Katie.

“I don’t know,” Sophie admitted with a heavy sigh. “The fever is new today, but she’s had migraines and been coughing up bloody phlegm for the past few days. Lewis is baffled and I know very little about medicine. I’m worried,” she admitted. “I want to take her to the hospital, but there’s some obvious reasons why I can’t.”

Lukshia nodded and shifted her gaze directly to Katie, no doubt noting her haggard breathing. Sophie glanced down and found Katie staring right back at the woman. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, Lukshia; but why are you here?” Katie rasped her inquiry before devolving into a fit of coughs.

Sophie smoothed her daughter’s hair and shifted Luna slightly with the other arm. Luna mumbled something unintelligible and pressed herself further against Sophie. She felt the child’s nails twitch over her skin, as though she wanted a shirt to cling to, but Sophie’s bathing suit didn’t offer much to grip.

“Ending a transmission,” was Lukshia’s blunt response to Katie’s question.

“What?” the teen pressed between coughs.

Sophie sighed. “It’s my fault,” she muttered. “I should have listened to you and gotten rid of the damned thing when you asked.” Katie glanced up at her with confusion sparkling in her gaze.

“It wouldn’t have mattered,” Luksha commented with a shake of her head. “They’d have known the second you did that Katie and Luna were here. They probably would have come for them sooner.”

“They know? Lemuria?” Sophie winced at the thick terror that laced Katie’s voice. Luna flinched at the mention of the name too.

“Yes,” Lukshia confirmed. “The locket was bugged, Katie. It was never a gift.”

“Damn them!” Katie hissed. Her fin lashed out, causing a noisy rumple from the couch as her scales caught. Her anger was cut short as she began to cough again. Sophie pulled her back down and began to rub firmly along her spine as she tried to help her settle down again.

“Sophie?” Luna’s voice was hesitant as she spoke up, but Sophie gave her undivided attention to the girl. “I do not understand; if they know where we are, why have they not come for us?”

“That is a good point,” Katie agreed. “Why didn’t they come back for us the second we saw you? They have to be pretty desperate to get us back, I don’t understand why they would have any reason to wait?”

Sophie glanced between the two frightened Mer, then at Lukshia, who shrugged. She didn’t have much of an answer either. Then the likely reason hit Sophie and horror swept through her. “Riley,” she said finally. “She’s why. I was wearing that necklace for months before you came home, they would have known she was here. But she wasn’t here when you got back. They were waiting to come when all three of you were here and get another Mer.”

“But Riley was just here,” Luna pointed out.

“Yeah,” Katie agreed darkly. “But she left to return with your family, Luna. You’re the only Mer they’ve ever managed to find in all this time, now they have an opportunity to get you and I back, and three others as well? They’re biding their time.”

“No,” Luna’s voice cracked as she sobbed, and Sophie winced as the younger Mer twisted in her grasp and her scales grated against her bare leg. Then she sagged against Sophie and the woman felt her wet tears splatter onto her shoulder. “Riley. My family. They…”

Katie piped up to fill in when Luna broke off. “They are coming right back into a trap.”

“And you’re all the bait,” Lukshia agreed. She sighed and pushed up from the chair to pace around the living room a bit. “We’ll have messed them up a bit by destroying the bug. In light of that, I almost wish we hadn’t. I was prepared to take you all elsewhere, but having to wait on more who don’t have a specific deadline throws a wrench into the plans. I’m worried now that the transmission has stopped, it won’t be long before you have some hired muscle on your doorstep. They won’t risk missing that return. It’s a lot harder to track you two down out in the ocean; I don’t imagine your scientist friends will want you leaving here with these other Mer.”

“So, what do we do?” Katie wheezed.

At that point, Sophie decided to step in. “You are going to go lie down and get some sleep,” she stated. “You’re no good to anyone in this condition and I’m worried about you. We’ll figure it out, but I can’t think about that and worry about you exhausting yourself and getting worse.”

“But I-”

“No,” Sophie refused. “It’s not up for debate.”

“Your mother’s right, Katie,” Lukshia agreed. “Get some rest. You don’t look good.” She stepped forward and dropped a hand on Katie’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “We’re going to sort it out. It just means we have to think outside the box and that happens to be a specialty of mine.”

Katie was silent for a moment as she stared back at Lukshia.

Sophie allowed the stare down to occur in favor of cradling Luna into a closer embrace as the Mer had broken out into a serious round of quaking. “It’s alright,” Sophie whispered as she pressed her nose into Luna’s hair and kissed her forehead. “Just try to relax.”

Finally, Katie seemed to lose whatever quiet battle she and Lukshia were having because she sagged with another cough. “Okay,” she agreed reluctantly.


	16. An Old Friend

When Riley opened her eyes, she was met with the soft, grayed shades of the predawn day. Long dark fronds of kelp swayed in the current, drifting lazily back and forth across her vision. She took a moment to fully wake before giving her body a shake. Her gliders flared and her fins flicked as she stretched out muscles still lazy with sleep.

She winced as her hip locked, and a low hiss whistled through clenched teeth. She braced a palm on the sand and slowly twisted her torso until she felt the joint pop and instant relief spread through her body. It was hard to accept she would have to ask Lewis about it when she got back, but it could get her into serious trouble if left as it was.

Riley sat up properly and perched with her tail bunched beneath her in order to survey her surroundings properly. She had nestled beneath a shale outcropping that jutted over and created a tiny enclosed nook. Beyond the confines was the beginning of a kelp forest. The world was still swathed in the dulled shades of gray and fading indigo. It was still quiet a while before the light of dawn would fill the waters. She had fallen asleep when the moon was high, and after the few hours rest it was time to continue on. She had always slept more sporadically since striking out on her own – though she enjoyed longer rests on land – but was pushing herself more than she usually would now that she had a destination it was imperative that she reach in a timely manner.

She pushed off the sand and drifted out of the alcove into the kelp fronds. There was something both eerie and comforting about being surrounded by the thick plant tendrils.

As she swam, Riley kept her gliders tucked carefully against her sides and twisted her body to weave around the waving fibers. It was dim and relatively silent, the common sounds of the ocean muffled among the dark plants, and Riley kept low, her fins brushing the sand as she swam.

Eventually, the bank dropped away, but the forest stretched on. Though she chose not to dive deeper, Riley continued to swim cautiously, only accelerating her pace slightly. It was very easy to get tangled up in dense clumps of kelp like this and getting free was always more of a hassle than it was worth.

Though the calm was welcoming, Riley was cautious to keep her senses alert as she progressed. In an area such as this, the slightest sound or shimmer could attract unwanted attention, and with the field of view drastically reduced, a kelp forest could make an ideal place for a predatory ambush.

Her journey continued without issue and Riley began to relax slightly as her thoughts wandered. She could not help them straying back to Sophie and the rest of her newly discovered family – a notion that still sent shivers down Riley’s spine; she had a proper family – as she mulled how they were settling into the new home. Though houses and the concept of owning a space of land or water still baffled Riley and was not a part of Mer culture, pods did move to new territories and reefs all the time. Some moved by choice, others forced to follow new migration routes or rotate hunting grounds when human fishing thinned the schools too much for survival. Though the reasons varied, moving to an entirely foreign area was often tedious and stressful as the family group settled in and grew acquainted with the area’s hunting grounds and any dangers that may present themselves as a problem.

Though Riley doubted her family had to deal with the risk of an interaction with an aggressive predator or a hostile rival pod not keen on sharing resources, she did imagine there were other challenges and lots of work involved in a human rehoming too. She hoped things were going alright, and part of her wished she were there assisting rather than leaving them behind to make a journey to see a pod she was not keen on revisiting.

While she did miss her aunt and uncle, and had never harbored any qualms with being in their company, there were too many bitter memories of rejection and arguments for the reunion to be anything but uncomfortable. Ilienne would see to that.

Riley was ripped from her thoughts by a shrill shriek that echoed around her. Riley’s head whipped to the left, where the sound seemed to originate. She chewed her lip and her spines flexed involuntarily before she hesitantly turned in the direction and began to pursue the sound. It was risky, but she could not in good conscience leave without investigating when someone on their own could be in a serious predicament.

The cry came again, but was cut off abruptly with a bit of a strangle that made Riley tense. She could very well be encroaching on a predator-prey scenario. Mer were not often hunted by other species as a traditional food source and were more of an apex predator, but scavenger types would not hesitate on species if weakness was shown, and desperation or competition did breed incidences as well. Cautiously, Riley pushed through a few more tightly packed fronds onto the scene in question.

“Stop your caterwauling! Do you want to attract a threat?” an older voice scolded sternly.

“Or some assistance?” Riley said. She wanted to announce her presence immediately so that it would not spook them.

There were two Mer and both were tangled in the kelp fronds. The older – and owner of the voice – was in less of a predicament, with kelp coiled around the base of his triangular fin. He was twisted and ripping at it, but the strands were thick and knotted enough that it was taking him some time. His scales were a dark gray and streaked with white, and they traversed up to his ribs rather than tapering at the hips. His hair was silver with age and trailed down his back. It was so long that he had tied it back with what looked like the tentacle of a jellyfish. Riley grimaced. The free floating stingers had always grossed her out a little, and were best avoided to prevent nasty burns or poisoning. While she was not squeamish about getting near one, she could not quite imagine being struck with the desire to rip a tentacle free.

Across from him was a younger Mer that was hopelessly entangled in the plants. Her arms were suspended in wraps of kelp and her pale green tail was essentially strangled in the threads. Her pale blonde hair was slashed short and jagged around her chin, and her fins were a milky white. They hung limply from the base of her tail, swaying in time to the same current moving the kelp. She had tilted her head back almost all the way due to a frond around her neck that was likely pressing on her gills when her head was lowered.

The girl was young – perhaps ten cycles – and had clearly panicked herself into a worse situation. Riley wondered if the older Mer had gotten caught up while trying to help her.

“Go,” he urged. “We do not need your help, just move along.”

Riley regarded him calmly. His tone had been firm, but not nasty, just wary. Riley could not blame him for his caution.

“No,” the girl whimpered. “Please help.” She squirmed in the kelp.

“Stop fidgeting; you will make it worse,” the male instructed.

Riley left him to free himself and instead drifted up to the child. She wanted to at least free the girl of the strand around her throat. She parted her jaws and leaned forward to rip the frond.

“No, wait; the plant is sick,” she warned at the same time Riley tore into the kelp. Instantly, a vile, bitter taste coated her tongue and her nose scrunched. She twisted her head to the side and spat the piece out.

She warily eyed the surrounding pieces of kelp. Something was definitely poisoning them in some way to bring that flavor out. She suspected it would probably make any creature that took a good mouthful very sick. She needed a new plan.

Flexing her spines, Riley raised her arm close to the side of the girl’s face. “Try not to move,” she instructed. She kept her tone soft to avoid frightening her, but the girl still squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered softly. “I will not cut you,” Riley promised as she swiped at one of the kelp pieces holding her wrist aloft. The serrated edge of her front spine sliced easily through the strand, so Riley shifted to the next arm, and then down to tend to the girl’s tail.

“What happened?” she inquired in an attempt to prevent an awkward silence brewing further discomfort.

“A fishing boat drove us in here,” the girl explained. “We usually dwell on the far side of the shelf, but it has been very busy lately.”

“Human boats are clogging up more and more of the waters,” the older Mer grumbled. “Things were better back in the day when things were not so noisy. Wish the blasted beings would keep to the land where they belong instead of spoiling our waters.”

Riley was silent as she worked on freeing the girl from the kelp. She was inclined to agree in part with the elderly Mer. Fishing traffic forced a lot of Mer pods to move and flee, and uprooted many lives. It was dangerous to stay, but a massive hassle to have to leave, and could put people into situations such as this. But she could not hate humanity entirely, not when it had yielded such kind and accepting individuals.

It was not long before Riley was slicing through the last of the strands, which allowed the young Mer to wiggle free. Instead of drifting away, however, she threw her arms around Riley and squeezed her tight. “Thank you…umm…”

Riley chuckled at her hesitation and gently pried free of the embrace. “My name is Riley,” she introduced. “And you are?”

“Arryn,” the girl responded. “And this is my grandfather, Gondor.”

Riley turned to examine the older Mer again. He had gotten free of the kelp tangles on his own and now reached out to pull Arryn closer. “I appreciate your assistance,” he said finally with a dip of his head.

Riley dipped hers in response. “It was no trouble. You should probably find better refuge before the day truly begins to get busy.” She met Arryn’s gaze once more. “The next time you get tangled up like that, try not to panic or thrash; you will only get more wrapped up that way.”

Arryn nodded. “Okay,” she agreed.

Gondor patted the girl on the shoulder and jerked his head. “We should get going now. Thank you again,” he added.

Riley smiled. She hoped they would be alright now. If she were simply still roaming on her own, she might have stayed with them a while to ensure they would not encounter any further troubles, but as it was, she had a destination and a time limit, so she would have to trust them to manage on their own.

She stared at Gondor for a moment longer. Though he was older, his skin wrinkled with age, his gaze was hardened with a wisdom and determination she suspected was all they really needed to be alright. Not many Mer grew much facial or body hair, but Gondor has a short white beard waving in the current that looked a little odd, given she was not used to seeing it, but she simply widened her smile and nodded. “Take care,” she offered.

She watched them turn and disappear into deeper into the dense forest. Once they were out of sight, she continued on her way, back in the direction she had originally been heading. She was not sure exactly how far she still had to travel, but she was getting closer. The instinctive pull guiding her back to the pod of her birth was weaker than she had expected it to be, but she had managed to dredge it up from within enough to follow its guidance.

She had been travelling several days, and at a brutal pace that was beginning to take its toll. She was used to pushing herself to the extremes sometimes, but even she had limits and she made a note to find a place to stop, rest and hunt properly in order to replenish her energy. She wanted to press on, but would need her strength to continue safely and more so to deal with the pod that waited for her at the end of her journey. She hoped that the time away might have given old wounds time to heal, but she knew it was more likely that her return would tear them wide open, and she would have to deal with bloody, painful mess one way or another.

…

Riley had left the kelp forest behind quite a while ago. The sun was now high in the sky, though she was deep enough to barely feel it on her back as she swam. Her stomach rumbled and she knew she would have to feed soon. She was already altering her course a little towards a school in the same relative direction she was heading. She would have to eat on the way, as there was no place to safely stop to rest and enjoy her meal as she had hoped. The open water often yielded few safe places and odds were, she would have to continue on through the night until she reached another reef or shallower point in the water, unless she wished to dive to high pressured depths to sleep.

As she approached the large school of cod, Riley quickly realized she was not the only hunter in the vicinity. The ocean was alive with the lyrical calls and clicks of a pod.

Riley laughed in delight as two massive black and white bodies rushed past her into the fray. She trilled loudly. Orcas were playful beasts, but could easily grow territorial over a hunt and she had no desire to be the target of that scrap.

Several of the orcas responded instantly. She was alone, and therefore hardly a threat, and most of them were too distracted by their meal to truly care if she stayed or not. She should be fine to join them. She only wanted a single fish anyways.

With permission granted, Riley wasted no time in diving into the fray. The school was in a frenzy and Riley occasionally had to flare her gliders and pull up short to avoid colliding with an orca as it dove through the swirl of scaly bodies.

It was noisy in the center of their hunt as the pod used their echolocation to confuse and corral the fish into a tight ball to then dive through.

Not wanting to be in their hunting path any longer than necessary, Riley darted forward and clamped her teeth shut on a fish. She tensed her jaw until she felt the spine snap and the fish stilled in her mouth. She backed off with her catch to gulp down the entirety of her prize.

Another whistling voice sounded behind her – an incredibly familiar one – and Riley spun around with a delighted laugh as the nose of an adolescent orca bumped her torso. She sprawled against him and flicked her fins for balance as she rubbed her palm over his smooth skin. “Hello Charlie,” she greeted, her voice clicking as she raised it to the high lilt of the orca language.

“Bright Fish,” Charlie whistled in response. It made her laugh. Orcas didn’t have names in the same way that Mer did. Riley had given Charlie his name years ago and despite her many reminders that hers was Riley, he always simply called her bright fish. She guessed because of her vivid fins, but orcas were mischievous and there could be an alternate reason she wasn’t aware of.

Riley had first met Charlie a moon or two after she had parted ways with her pod. She was still young to be striking out on her own, and grew very lonely. Charlie had been very young as well, less than two season cycles. He had been separated from his pod and Riley stayed with him until they were reunited.

It had taken her a while to learn the language enough to converse properly. Orcas were not like most other dolphins; their speech was complicated and high, and they changed meanings behind words often enough to make her head spin. But she’d caught on eventually. She had not been allowed to stay with him after his pod was found; they had not cared enough for her prolonged presence, but every once in a while, when their journeys crossed, Riley would spend a few days with her old friend, rekindling the connection that never died no matter how much time passed, before they would part again.

“How was your migration?” she asked him.

“Less ice,” Charlie told her. “Fish still good though. Bright Fish okay? New scars.”

Riley nodded as he bumped her abdomen again. “I am alright,” she agreed. “I won the fight in the end.”

“Bright Fish should migrate with us next season. Come to ice water.”

“Maybe I will,” she agreed. Part of her had always wanted to see a frozen ocean, but she knew she might not be able to tolerate the cold as well as Charlie did. She lacked the blubber layer to insulate her.

“You will come now? Stay and hunt?”

Riley sighed and shook her head. It squeezed at her heart to know she still had to leave him behind. She never knew when the next time she would get to see him would be, or if there would even be a next time, but she still had to go. “No, Charlie. I cannot stay this time. I have to go back to my pod and I only have a little time to get there. Someone needs my help.”

“Bright Fish go now?” he whistled back. She pressed her forehead against his beak and nodded. “Will swim with you until the shelf.”

Her heart swelled at his decision. Orcas rarely strayed from their pods and though it was not too far to the next shelf, Riley was touched that he’d part with them long enough to escort her. “I would be honored for the company,” she agreed.

Charlie whistled in delight and dipped up beneath her. Riley yelped in surprise as he rushed to the surface, pulling her along with him. Her fingers curled tightly around his dorsal as he breached and she nearly slipped off the side of his smooth, slippery body. He cut through the water rapidly, spraying brine up in her face and making her sputter in between fits of laughter.

When he dove back down, she released the fin and flared her gliders. He could easily outpace her if he tried, and she had to work a little harder to keep up even though she knew he was slowing his pace for her, but she was delighted to swim with him again.

She may have to part with him before dusk now, but she vowed to seek him out after she was finished reuniting Luna with her parents. Charlie would likely be in the area a while still, and she wanted more time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as an important update, I have to let everyone know that there might be a change in the update schedule through the summer. This update being on a Wednesday is a little unorthodox, but it's because my laptop charger shorted out and left me with no battery power, and I've only just been able to replace it. But as for the rest of the summer - I have a student summer job starting on Friday. It's a factory position that will have me working twelve hour shifts both day and night shifts. It's going to make it quite difficult to also maintain my usual writing schedule, so we'll probably be going down to two updates a month rather than the usual one a week for the duration for the summer, or at least the first few months while I adjust. After that, I might be able to go back up to more again, definitely will when school starts up again. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I hope you'll all have patience with me. 


	17. An Unexpected Loss

Katie jerked her head to the side and squeezed her eyes shut while grinding her teeth as she felt the tip prick the crook of her elbow. Needles never used to bother her too much, but now they made her squeamish and bombarded her with a slew of bad memories.

She inhaled sharply through her nose and then counted off the seconds until Lewis pulled the needle free of her flesh. She glanced back as he removed the taut rubber band from her forearm and pressed a cotton wad against her elbow. She moved to take his place keeping pressure on it while he capped off the two vials of crimson fluid that he’d drawn from her. She shuddered and pulled her tail closer to her body. The mattress beneath her creaked softly as she moved.

Lewis’ hand was warm as he laid it across her forearm and patted her elbow a few times. “I’m sorry, Kiddo, but I have to take a look.”

“I know,” Katie responded through clenched teeth. “It’s fine, I just…have a hard time now.” She clenched her fingers into a fist, pulling a portion of the sheet below her into a padded ball in the center of her palm as she glanced away again. He wanted the blood sample to check her bloodwork and various levels. She knew, she understood the importance of it, and hoped it would reveal a reason as to why she had been so sick lately, but that didn’t make the actual extraction any easier.

She watched him from the corner of her eye as he grimaced and then packed the samples away in a freezer bag. They’d go with him to work today. Lewis’s lips parted as though he wanted to say something, but instead he just stood back up and left the room. Then she heard the front door open and close again. He was off back to the park and hopefully would have some answers for them soon.

Katie sighed and flopped back down on the mattress. She hadn’t had any coughing fits yet today, but pain still pulsed behind her eyes and threatened to erupt into a full-blown migraine. She twisted to bury her head in her pillow and began to wonder if it was worth the energy to drag herself down the hall for some medication or if she should just wait it out.

She was tired of feeling sick and like someone had sucked all the life and energy out of her. She couldn’t ever remember feeling this poorly.

While all she really wanted was to melt away into the sheets and try to ignore the world, she knew that she should head down the hall before the pain became crippling.

With a groan, she flipped back over and dragged herself off the mattress.

Her attention was drawn to the ground after several soft clattering noises followed her. Scattered across the floor around the mattress were several more scales that had shaken loose. Katie reached over and picked one up. Usually the scales were sharp and rigid, but when she applied a little pressure, the one between her fingers bent easily and then snapped.

Wincing, Katie glanced back over the bed and saw a bunch more scattering the sheets. A close examination of her tail showed that it was not just a loose scale or two in places. She was missing significantly sized patches of scales, leaving the pale, veiny skin beneath exposed.

It was an ugly sight and Katie hung her head. She wasn’t sure what was going wrong with her. She only hoped that things would turn around soon, and moreso that Luna didn’t catch whatever she had. She didn’t think her sister could handle it, given how much weaker she was. Her immune system had to be fragile after so much time spent in the Lemuria labs. The chemicals and lack of sunlight alone would have reduced its potency, but Luna was also kept on the brink of starvation most of the time. Katie couldn’t prove it, but she suspected there were likely several consequences of that lifestyle.

She hated avoiding Luna, but her mother’s point was valid and the threat very real. She couldn’t risk Luna getting sick too.

Katie flopped back onto her front and began dragging herself down the hallway. She felt a little dizzy, but this was easier than trying to haul herself into the wheelchair and remain upright.

She paused at the end of the hall for a break, her breath rasping from her heaving chest. Her condition was massively sapping her strength.

When she glanced up, she could see Luna and her mom sitting at the dinning room table. Luna’s tail hung sideways over the chair with her tailfin flopped on the ground. Her hair had been pulled back off her face in a low ponytail Katie suspected was her mother’s doing, and her head was bent in concentration as she looked at something in front of her.

Sophie was twisted in the chair beside her to look over her shoulder. She had clearly been in the shower earlier before Katie had gotten up, because her usually wavy hair was puffed up into thick spring coils now that it had been allowed to dry without being brushed.

Luna’s brows dipped in concentration and her lips moved as she spoke very slowly. “A brrowwn doog – Sophie what is a dog?” Luna paused and looked up at Sophie.

Katie watched her mother smile and shake her head. “It’s just an animal, hon. Keep going.”

Not wanting to interrupt the reading lesson, Katie settled down a little on the floor and propped her chin on a fist. “A brown dog took tuhe-”

“The,” Sophie gently corrected. “Remember when you see T and H together, it makes more of a hissing sound.”

Luna nodded her head. “A brown dog took the ball in..to the yyard. What is a yard?”

“Usually a space in front or behind a house,” Sophie explained.

“Like where all the stones and plants are?” Luna inquired as she pointed in the general direction of the front door.

“Yes,” Sophie confirmed. “You’re doing really well, Luna. Do you want to keep going?”

Katie smiled at Luna’s eager nod. She had been very excited about the notion of learning how to read and write. Katie suspected it was just something to do to keep herself out of her head, and was likely filling a lot of time for her now while waiting on Riley to return. Especially since Katie herself was out of action for the most part.

“Okay, you read these next two, okay? I’m just going to go check on Katie,” Sophie said as she pushed her chair away from the table and stood up. “Oh, or not,” she stated as her gaze shifted to the hall. “You okay?”

Katie nodded. “Yeah, just have a headache. I was coming to get some medication. I just didn’t want to interrupt.”

Sophie nodded. “You could have said something,” she replied. “I’ll get you something.”

“Thanks.” Katie dragged herself further into the open dinning area. Luna had glanced away from the pages on the table in front of her and smiled down at her. “Hey, you’re learning fast. I knew you would. You picked up sign language faster than I could teach. I was a little rusty with it, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to teach you; thought I’d have more time to remember it.”

Luna’s smile widened into a cheeky grin. “I suppose you made an adequate teacher,” she replied before poking her tongue out between her teeth.

Katie rolled her eyes. “You thought I was pretty grand at the time.”

Luna nodded and her smile softened to a fondness. “Still do,” she said. “Are you okay?” The concern that glistened in her gaze made Katie frown. She didn’t want to worry Luna; she had enough to stress over at the moment.

“I’ll be fine,” she lied. She wasn’t so sure; it felt like every day she felt worse, and any spurts of energy were few and far between the past week.

She dragged herself further into the room, but was careful to keep her distance. Though they had to exist in the same space still, Katie wanted to limit Luna’s exposure.

Sophie came back into the dinning room from the kitchen only to pull up short. “Katie…” she trailed off with eyes that widened with horror and Katie frowned.

She followed Sophie’s gaze to behind her and finally noticed the bloody skid marks she’d left behind on the wood flooring. Frowning, she twisted onto the back of her tail to examine her front. Some of the delicate skin exposed by her scale loss had split in multiple places and was oozing scarlet fluid down her amethyst scales, darkening it to an inky shade. “Oh,” she murmured.

Now that she could see it, she was vaguely aware of the stinging burn of each of the cuts. She hadn’t imagined that the flesh beneath was quite so fragile, but she supposed the armored scales made sense now.

Sophie crouched down next to her and brushed over some of her scales. Her fingertips were coated in red when she pulled them away. “Oh Katie…” she sighed. “I knew you were losing a few scales, but this…”

“I’m sorry,” Katie muttered. She’d clearly tracked blood over the hallway. “I’ll clean it up. You should wash your hands; I don’t know if I can infect you too, but blood is probably a great way to pick it up.”

“This isn’t your fault. We do need to get you cleaned up and this sorted. I get that it’s easier than the wheelchair to get around, but you can’t keep dragging yourself around if it’s going to cut you up like this. Not until your scales grow back.”

The ‘if they grow back’ might not have been said, but it still rang in Katie’s head. She wished she knew what was happening, but her health continued to decline and seemed to be stumping everyone around her. She was starting to think that perhaps she was simply starting to fall apart. The scientists had said that she was the first host the transformation successfully took in. Now she wasn’t so sure it was all that successful. There may have simply been a delay before she began to break down, and she might just be out of time.

She sighed, but kept the concerns to herself. There was no reason to worry the others with them.

“I think I have an idea. Wait here a minute, okay?” her mother instructed. As she rose, she placed her other hand on Katie’s head, then stepped past her and disappeared down the hall.

Katie remained silent – though she could feel Luna’s gaze drilling into her – and listened as the bathroom tap began to run. It turned back off shortly after, and then Katie could hear her mother rummaging around in some cupboards.

She returned a few minutes later with a nightgown draped over one arm, a wet washcloth, and the first aid kit. She knelt back down by Katie’s side and set everything but the cloth down, then began to tenderly scrub away the blood coating Katie’s scales, and then the cuts themselves.

Katie winced and tried not to flinch as the motions stung, but she knew better than to protest despite her desire to do it herself. Her mother shouldn’t have to, but Katie knew her well enough to know that any arguing would be pointless and merely bog down the process.

With that in mind, she glanced away and remained still as the cuts were washed and then cleaned with peroxide – which fizzled and stung when poured into the sores – and then adhesive bandages were smoothed over them. “There,” Sophie said with a satisfied nod. “That should keep any dirt from getting lodged in there. Now let’s see if we can stop any more of your skin from splitting. It’s so delicate under the scales.”

“I know. I imagine that’s why I have them,” Katie muttered.

She watched as Sophie shook out the nightgown. It looked older, with some worn stitching in a few places. It was white, with little blue flowers on it. Katie made a noise of protest as she watched Sophie take a pair of scissors to it. Her mother didn’t seem overly fazed, however, and merely continued cutting. She split the gown completely open up the back, and then cut two strips on either side halfway up the gown.

“What are you doing?” Katie asked as Sophie spread the ruined garment out on the floor.

“Roll over,” her mom requested while patting the nightgown. Katie frowned, but did as instructed and flopped over onto the fabric. Sophie gave her a gentle shove so that just her tail was stretched on it.

Katie twisted to watch as Sophie used the two strips she cut halfway up to tie it the gown over the back of her tail. She cut two more strips to knot near the bottom of her tail.

“It’s not perfect, but it will do for now,” Sophie decided as she sat back on her heels. “At least it will prevent you from chaffing and scraping along the floor.”

Katie wiggled a little. It would also help her slide more easily as well – even if it did feel a little strange – and she offered her mother a soft smile and nodded. “Thank you.”

Sophie nodded and then handed Katie a glass of water and a bottle of migraine pills. “You should try to get a little more rest.” She pressed her hand against Katie’s forehead. “At least your temperature is staying relatively normal.”

“I actually thought I might like to get in the water for a bit,” Katie admitted. “I don’t feel so great, but at least I can still rest down on the sand. I’m hoping it might help.”

Her mother nodded. “Alright, that’s probably not a bad idea,” she agreed. She reached out and gently took a lock of Katie’s hair and rolled it between her fingers. “Did you want to re-dye this?” she asked.

Katie frowned for a moment, her eyebrows dipping down. At first, she thought her mother was suggesting she go dark brown again, before she remembered what she had actually meant. She used to keep a purple streak in her hair. She smiled and nodded. “You know, I think I might actually.”

“Re-dye it?” Luna echoed. Katie glanced up to where she was still perched in her chair, looking at them with her head tilted.

“Color it,” Sophie clarified. “We have a special ink that you can use to change the color of your hair. Katie, your bottle is up in the bathroom cupboard; there was still plenty left after last time, so I just never threw it away. Actually, we could do yours too if you want, Luna.”

“Me?” Luna looked a little startled and she pulled her ponytail over her shoulder to fiddle with the long locks. “I do not think I want to change my hair.”

“Yeah, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Katie pressed.

Her mother chuckled. “I think it would be fun. I have some leftover wash-out bottles of dye that I never got rid of after a birthday party event we ran a couple of months ago. It’s not permanent, so it should be fine for Luna to play with. With how much swimming she does, it’ll be gone in a week or so anyways.”

Katie shrugged. She twisted the lid off the medication bottle and downed two with the help of the water.

“I think it would be a fun way to spend the afternoon. You two haven’t gotten to be around each other much, but honestly I don’t think we can effectively keep you apart. If it’s contagious, we probably won’t be able to stop Luna from catching it, and we don’t know if there’s an incubation period; she may already have it. As long as we’re careful and all wash our hands, I don’t think there’s much more we can do and I don’t want to keep you cooped up in your room all the time, Katie; it’s not healthy either,” Sophie explained. Her tone had grown soft, like she knew and was having the same internal struggle. She could keep them apart and have it wind up futile, or make the best of a tough situation.

Katie sighed but nodded. She still wasn’t sure if it even was contagious. She missed Luna and she knew that the younger Mer still didn’t do well alone. “You’re right,” she agreed finally. “What do you think, Luna? Want to play with some colors?”

Luna chewed her lip, but then nodded. “Okay. If it comes out, I would like to try.”

***

Katie shifted her weight, feeling the soft fleece of the nightgown beneath her as she did. It was rather ingenious, if a little makeshift, and Katie appreciated the gesture. She was relatively confident it would be more comfortable for crawling around and no more of her exposed skin had split since putting it on, so hopefully that was a good sign. She just had to be careful of when she rolled onto her back, as there was exposed flesh along the backside of her tail as well.

Sophie had done Katie’s hair first, bleaching it first and then applying the dye. Katie had chosen to do a streak on either side of her head – more in the middle over her ears – rather than the single strip at the front, and she was pleased with how it looked.

Now she sat back and watched as her mother took a noisy blow dryer to Luna’s thick wave of follicles. The younger girl was covering her ears and giggling at the blasts of hot air. Sophie wore an equally wide smile. “Stay still,” she scolded Luna gently.

Luna’s nose had wrinkled when Sophie brought out the bleach earlier and had nearly changed her mind until she was assured that she wouldn’t need it with the washout dye and that it was only because Katie was going for permanent coloring that it was required for her. Once that matter was settled, she had eagerly pawed through the bottles of colors that Sophie had on hand.

“There,” Sophie declared as she turned the blow dryer off and set it aside. She handed Luna a little hand mirror. “Do you like it?”

Luna took the mirror eagerly to inspect it and her smile only grew. “It is pretty,” she decided happily.

Katie hummed her agreement. Sophie had streaked Luna’s hair with blue and green dye halfway down her hair so that it all blended into a cascading waterfall. They were sprawled out on towels on the living room floor and Sophie’s hands were stained with the various colors.

She had refused their offer to do hers as well, stating that there was little that went with the red and she preferred just to leave it be.

“I think it looks great,” Katie responded. She had needed to take more medication as she had begun to feel nauseous, and three fully drained water bottles were scattered on the towels from her inability to quench her thirst or settle her cough, but Luna’s smile made it worth the tedious task to remain up and active like this for so long.

She felt a little more like herself as well. The hair dye didn’t make much difference, but it had been one of the first choices Katie had made for herself when she was younger. Sophie had fully supported her, and she had continued to touch it up every time the color began to fade. She hadn’t realized just how much she had missed having the little bit of color in her hair. Despite the tail and her illness, it almost made her feel a little more normal.

And she was glad that the vivid shades could make Luna so happy too. The preteen continued to play with the ends of her hair until Sophie gently swatted her hands away. “You have to let it dry a little more or you’re going to color your fingers too. Don’t rub it out.”

Luna dropped her hands after that, but she continued to smile, and Katie knew she was more just happy they were all getting to interact again. She knew Luna got lonely very easily and this week had probably not been easy on her.

“Thank you,” Katie said as she met her mother’s gaze. She put emphasis on the words, because they carried a lot of weight.

Sophie shifted to pull them both into a sideways hug, and Katie sighed with content as she was squeezed close. “Any time,” she agreed.


	18. Twister

A loud, drumming roar echoed in Riley’s ears as she hovered in the water. Before her, an expanse of twirling water twisted its way through the deep ocean. Here, the shelf dipped very low, and if Riley peered upwards, she could barely catch any glimpse of sunlight glistening off the water’s skin.

Riley twitched her fins to keep upright as she examined the vortex. Twister currents were wild and dangerous. They formed in higher pressured waters and were highly volatile. They often burned themselves out and dissipated after a couple of moons, but some of the larger, more powerful ones stuck around for longer.

She could feel it pulling at her fins, and her hair was flying wildly towards it. It was fast, and she knew it was likely to be deadly. She hesitated. She had taken risks before, and would normally relish the challenge, but this was more unruly a beast than she had ever dared to engage with. The scrap of self-preservation and logic she retained warned her to continue on her own speed and power, but she knew this would cut her journey short by a significant amount.

Riley chewed her lip. She could not deny that mixed with the worry was a fair amount of excitement. A powerful current was always a thrilling challenge. Twisters were exceptionally riveting, though she had never dared to enter an apex one.

Riley turned at the sound of the new voice, one that had spoken in a foreign language she could not decipher. Behind her, hovering in the depths, was another Mer. His head was cocked do one side and his slender tail was twice the length of hers. It twisted and coiled beneath him, and a large fan fin flared at the tip. His colors were soft and neutral, a light gray with large scales more like sheet armor than the tight links she sported. His fin was nearly translucent, his skin veiny and ashen. His hair blended with the depths, but she could see it waving about, displaced by the energized water around the current. Despite the solid neutral tones, the Mer was wreathed in pulsing veins of glittering gold and neon reds. His eyes were illuminated with a bright, emerald glow.

Riley had not met many Mer of the depths. They stayed where the pressure was crushing and the dark pressed in on all sides. She had ventured down once or twice, but she could not see anything that deep down, and it unnerved her. She was not equipped fully for the environment.

This one was still looking at her expectantly, and she remembered he had spoken to her. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “I do not understand,” she replied. She spoke slowly in a common tongue, but she was not sure he would understand either. Their people did not interact often.

His head tilted and he frowned. Then he spoke again, in a different lilt and Riley listened carefully. It was closer to something she could make out, if he would just keep talking. Unfortunately, he fell silent afterwards and she sighed.

Then, after a moment, he tried again. “Are you thinking of riding?” he asked.

Riley grinned. Whales had very similar speeches, and several dove to impressive depths. Finally, a tongue they could share – even if his accent was a little harder to grasp – and she shrugged again. “I am considering it, yes.”

“So, you do speak,” he observed.

“I am not well versed in deep water languages. You seem equally impaired with the tongues of above,” she countered. He shrugged. “Speaking of,” she continued. “Is this not a little high for you?”

“Is it not a little deep for you?”

Riley grinned. “There is still light. As long as I can see, I have not gone too far down.”

The deep-water Mer nodded in agreement. “It is a fool idea,” he stated.

“Pardon?”

He jerked his chin towards the current behind her. “That is a brutal vortex. Only a fool would think of riding it; you would be killed,” he warned.

Riley felt indignation begin to bubble in her gut. She was not the type to back down from a challenge. “What makes you say that?”

He blinked slowly, his gaze unwaveringly fixated on her. She tried not to shudder under his gaze. His eyes were enlarged, took up over half the space on his face. While she imagined it was to better his vision in the low – practically nonexistent – lighting of the depths, it was still eerie when he stared. “This twister is locked,” he told her.

Riley nodded. “I know,” she agreed. A locked twister was not overly uncommon, but it was what made one like this particularly dangerous. Once one got in, they could not get out until the end. The water became too high pressured that it would rip both her skin and scales to shreds if she tried.

“You would be in it for at least two cycles of the plankton drift.” Two turns of the moon, Riley translated mentally. She remembered that luminescent plankton drifted from the depths at night.

The statement gave her pause and she turned back to glance at the current. That would take her exactly where she needed to go, and cut down her journey by a quarter of a moon. Still, while riding a current could be a very riveting and rewarding experience, it was also incredibly draining. Two full days without a chance to rest or eat was guaranteed to push all her limits beyond what she was certain she could handle.

“Even if you were not thrown, the exhaustion would kill you,” he continued. “It makes me wonder what has you so desperate to travel swiftly, that you would contemplate a lethal risk.”

“Catching up with a pod over half a moon ahead of me into a migration,” she admitted.

He frowned and Riley wondered what it was she had said that would prompt the displeasure. Though she supposed he might not be familiar with a migration; she had no idea the customs or habits of deep dwelling Mer. She did not even know if they kept to pods or roamed solo.

His tail lashed in a writhing motion, not unlike a sea snake, and he drifted closer so that they were face to face. She got a better look at the glowing lines laced across his body. They were most vivid along the ruffles of his three-layered fan – as well as the spines that spiked down the length of his back and tail – but were also present beneath his light gray scales and running through the skin along his arms and torso.

The swirls of light were mesmerizing, and Riley supposed that was the point. She wondered what it would be like to have prey attracted directly to her, rather than having to hunt it down.

“Sounds like you are quite a ways behind. Still, that seems like a fragile reason to risk your life. What is the consequence of being tardy?”

Riley shrugged. “If I do not catch them before the next new moon, I will not be able to reach them for three turns of the season. And I cannot wait that long.”

The other Mer nodded. “Is it worth this risk?”

Riley sighed and nodded. “I have no other choice, unfortunately. The sooner I can catch up, the better.”

The other Mer nodded and then swept his arm through the water. Riley raised her hands to catch what he had thrown at her and grimaced as her fingers curled into the squishy mass of reddish-pink flesh. A sea cucumber. Deep water, by the looks of it. “Eat that. I came up here to harvest kelps to go with it for my family, but I can catch another slug. They are high in energy; might earn you some extra time in the tube if you are determined to go,” he announced.

Riley bit her tongue and tried not to let her disgust show. He was extending a kind gesture towards her, despite having never met or engaged with her before, and she appreciated it; even if she had never had a taste for the slimy, gummy taste of these creatures. “Thank you,” she replied. “I am grateful for the generosity. My name is Riley,” she added, figuring the least she could do in return was introduce herself.

“Do’horun,” he responded in the strangest series of whistling clicks, that she was not certain she would be able to reproduce.

She shook her head. “Doren, got it,” she replied.

He grinned widely, revealing sharp, but short fangs. They were curved, and there were eight, rather than four, with side by side incisors that glistened with a neon hue at the tips. He chuckled and shook his head. “Close enough.”

Riley laughed and shook her head. “Sorry. I would need a few tries to attempt to get that pronunciation right.”

“It is fine,” Do’horun replied. “We are of different cultures and speeches. You should eat and go; the current gets more violent when night falls.”

Riley nodded. “You should cut kelp at the root. More nutrients and better flavor near the bottom, plus it is easier to wrap and carry a full stalk than to keep track of several pieces. You might taste a little sand while severing, but it tends to be worth it,” she suggested.

Do’horun nodded. “I will try that, thank you. Safe travels, Riley. Try not to perish in the center. It would be a bad fate to meet.”

Riley’s head bobbed in agreement. “I intend to live past this,” she assured him. “Thank you again. I hope your future hunts are prosperous.”

He blinked slowly once more and then turned and shot off further along the shelf. Riley stared after him for a moment, but he quickly disappeared in the gloom of the water. It had been a strange interaction, but not unpleasant. There were a lot of differences between the Mer of the various oceanic depths and Riley figured one day – if she could brave venturing that deep again – she might like to experience more of their culture.

Her gaze drifted down to the dead sea cucumber still flopped limply in her hand and wrinkled her nose. Maybe she would make sure to eat first, though.

With a sigh, she sank her teeth into the goopy flesh and ripped a mouthful away. The taste was bitter and bland, but she forced herself to swallow quickly. She was not one to be picky about food, having grown used to eating what she could catch for sustenance while alone, but the slimier meats had always made her cringe a little. There was not much need to chew, so she polished the squishy creature off in a few bites.

Once it was gone, she turned her gaze back to the roaring current. She really was facing a massive risk by taking it. Sophie would probably never forgive her or allow her to leave the cove of their new home again if she found out, but Riley could not help but long to try. She wanted to reach her aunt and uncle as soon as possible so that Luna would no longer be without her family. She had not told them at the time, but she truly doubted her ability to reach them on time under their own power. A pod tended to travel more slowly than a small group or an individual, but they were still moving on a migration, and every time she rested or stopped to hunt gave them a chance to reduce her lead.

This current was shaping up to be her only choice, so Riley set her jaw and shook out her fins. She was an experienced current surfer. It would be hard, but she could make it; she had to.

Determined not to balk at the challenge, she cautiously approached. The closer she got, the more powerful the suction effect of the current became. It was always best to get a feel for how a current moved, but before Riley could properly get close enough, the force of the twister yanked her hard and sucked her into the center. A surprised squeak escaped her seconds before it morphed to a groan as she was tossed around in the center of the vortex.

Currents were not sentient beings, they had no true life force, but the water always felt alive. There was a determination and a power to them that humbled Riley, and this one clearly had no desire to accommodate her.

It took immense effort to roll back over and get her bearings. Riley flared her gliders for balance and winced when the force of the swirling water nearly ripped them back from her tail.

She growled her frustration and closed her eyes, carefully angling her gliders in response to the various tips and patterns of the wild stream. She gradually gathered a feel for how it moved and began to lash her tail in unison. A hum built in her throat to match the reverberating ripples along the current’s inner walls.

It was not finished trying to throw her as of yet, however, and Riley had to flip sideways and press herself dangerously close to the razor walls of the tube as a series of jagged rocks speared up through the body. She winced as the sharp edges grazed along her spine, gouging scratches along her back.

Immediately after, there were several sharp turns that had Riley contorting her body like an eel.

Worry began to gnaw at her gut as she flipped upside down to keep with the motion of the current. If it was going to be like this the whole trip, she doubted her stamina would hold up even halfway.

 _Are you done?_ She growled mentally. It was not as if she anticipated an answer, but it felt like the current had sensed her thoughts because it smoothed out more after one more backbreaking bend. With a sigh, Riley stretched out her gliders, slowly flapping them twice, and continued to glide with the current at a thrilling speed that kept her hair streaking behind her. She whooped with delight.

The longer Riley cruised with the vortex, the more she began to slip into a state of pure reaction. This was what she loved about catching a current. There was a powerful feeling of melding with it, following every twist and turn like a natural, instinctive movement as if she was part of it. This was when a current started to feel like its own entity, one that was accepting her as part of its being.

She sighed happily and felt her heart rate beginning to slow. She let go entirely and drifted with the flow of the water.

***

It felt like coming out of a heavy daze or deep slumber as the current began to slow. As its strength ebbed, Riley snapped back to a state of awareness. It was time to leave the current, though her mind was foggy and had no proper sense of how much time had passed. The waters around her had slowed enough that she could safely exit, but it felt like she was ripping out of a second skin as she peeled herself away from the current back out into open waters.

She gazed around. The area was entirely unfamiliar. Her internal sense of direction was telling her that she was incredibly close to her end goal, but she had definitely never been through the area before.

 _They must have rotated their migratory route._ She realized then that with how long it had been since she had been with her pod, they could have moved to a new home entirely, and naturally needed an alternate migration path. A move may have even forced them to change patterns altogether. It was not uncommon for pods to stop communal gatherings or to find new areas to travel to at parts of the year if they were displaced from a main home.

The knowledge that taking that current may have been entirely unnecessary weighed heavily on her, though she knew it was more the disheartening realization that she no longer really knew anything at all about the pod that was supposed to be her family. While she had left seasons ago – and had thought she had buried all the painful feelings that came with feeling chased off – she still had moments where she deeply missed most of the members and silently wished things had gone differently.

She brushed those feelings off now – they no longer mattered – as she would not trade her new family for anything in the world.

Riley gazed out over the area. The current had climbed higher on the shelf and bright sunlight shone warmly down on her back. The sand beneath her was dark brown, but interrupted with many smooth and coarse rocks. The ground was more pebbled than it was sandy, with sparse strips of kelp and sea grasses pushing through.

The area was also not a stretching expanse, but rather several rolling dunes and rocky rises mashed together. Really it looked like two shelves had violently collided and this area was the messy fallout.

Riley was still in a bit of a daze from being joined with the current for so long, but she was vaguely aware of the rampant hunger gnawing at her gut. It did not feel like two moonrises had passed, but she knew that Do’horun had given her accurate information. She needed to eat.

Turning her head, she flicked her fins with the intent of drifting over to one of the kelp strands; she did not have the energy to hunt or forage, so the plant frond would have to be enough for now.

The moment she moved, however, angry black dots swarmed over Riley’s vision and her head spun. She brought a hand to her head with a groan and sagged in the water. She sank like a rock and was unconscious before she settled on the ground.


	19. Past to Present

Riley woke with fire raging through every limb and she winced. Working through the pain in her aching muscles, she propped herself up on an arm and blearily glanced around. She blinked a few times to clear her blurry vision. Once everything came back into focus, she found herself sprawled haphazardly across the various rocks along the ocean floor.

She glanced up to observe the time and found the waters reflecting a pink-gray light. It was on the cusp of dawn. Riley groaned.

She had never over-exerted herself like that before. Blacking out was incredibly dangerous, especially while on her own. She was incredibly lucky that she hadn’t been attacked while she was unconscious.

Her tail was draped at an odd angle over a particularly tall, pointed rock that was digging into her scales. As she went to shift it to a more comfortable position, her hip locked painfully, and she grunted. Her fingers curled into fists and she grit her teeth. It was not normally a problem, but if she laid too long in one place or in a particularly awkward position, the joint got stiff and painful to move. Bubbles shot from her gills as she forced air out slowly, grinding her teeth more as twisted and felt the locked joint pop with a painful noise.

After, the muscles loosened, and she was able to properly sit up. She brought a hand to her head as another wave of dizziness crashed over her. She had made the wrong choice in taking that current; it had nearly cost her everything, and still might.

Still feeling woozy, she pushed off the ground and drifted her way over to a few strands of kelp. There was plenty of nutrition in the plant, but it was not very filling or good for quickly refilling stamina, but it would have to do; she was in no fit state to go chasing after fish.

She ignored the advice she had given Do’horun a few moonrises ago and simply tore off what she could reach. The plant follicle was a little tough and stringy, it was clearly not fresh or blooming in highly fertile soil, but it would suffice.

She forced herself just to sit and eat, and gradually her body began to readjust, and the dizziness faded entirely. She still felt rather sore and weak, and like she had turned herself inside out, but at least she was confident she would not pass out again.

After she had finished eating, Riley closed her eyes and took a breath. At the start of her journey, locating her birth family had been difficult. She had to push hard past the much stronger instinct urging her back home to Sophie. Now she knew she was very close because the homing instinct thrummed noisily in her head.

She sighed. She would certainly meet up with them before the sun was high in the sky, perhaps even before dawn had passed.

It was going to take a lot more energy and strength than she was convinced she had, but she had no excuse to delay, so she pushed herself up off the ground once more and began swimming up over a large dune of sand and rock.

Because she was in unfamiliar territory – and still scrambled from her blackout – Riley tried to keep her senses as open and observant as possible, and she repeatedly scanned the waters around her and the seabed beneath her. The area was rather desolate, with only a few crabs that scuttled to the safety of the rocky shadows as she passed. One clicked its claws at her in warning before taking off and she laughed.

She swooped down on one, scooping it off the sand and cracking through its hard shell before it could use the sharp pinchers on her. It twitched once in her grasp, then fell still, and Riley absently pulled it apart to chew on the shell and meat alike as she swam. She was beginning to feel a little better now that she was moving and was getting some energy back. Her pace was still slow, however, but she was too tired to force any more speed into her strokes.

As she swam, the desolate, rocky expanse gradually began to morph into a tangle of brittle coral. The water grew dangerously shallow and it forced Riley to carefully pick her way through the twisting branches of the thorny coral stems.

She winced as her fins scraped over them. Her pod had certainly chosen a strange pace to settle, even if it was temporarily. By the time she reached the top of the shelf’s incline, Riley’s fins were flapping up above the surface with every flick of her tail.

She was beginning to worry that her instincts were wrong. No pod would linger where the water was so dangerously shallow. There was no cover and no deep water to make for an easy escape.

Finally, her clambering adventure came to an end as the dune slumped back down into deeper, sandier waters. Riley had to drag herself over another coral branch in order to dive down into the pocket, but once she did, she took a moment to rest. Her gills were flaring with exertion despite the relatively small amount of effort she had put in so far. She really needed to give herself time to rest properly and recuperate.

But now was not the time to allow herself that, not when she was so close to her goal. She did not like being in this area either – it gave her an unsettling sensation in her gut that kept her gaze shifting uneasily around.

With a shudder, she forced herself to press on. The sand rose in another hill shortly after the former dropped off, but this one was thankfully barren of prickly coral to creep through. It stretched up above the water and Riley sighed again. She rose to lift her head above the surface and examine her surroundings.

While the open ocean stretched unendingly around her, Riley was easily able to see the reason for the unusual terrain. The sandbar in front of her stretched quite far in either direction but was thankfully thin enough to jump. Beyond it, however, was the shore of an island. Riley took a moment to observe the sparkling sand and flat rocks that jut out over the water. They gradually gave way to tangled grasses and palms heavy with coconuts and bananas. A few trees braved the sands to stretch their roots into the sea water, and Riley could see various hermit crabs and mudskippers crawling among the tangled mangroves.

She parted her jaws and inhaled deeply, tasting the air and smelling it. The island had too many natural scents to be inhabited by modern human dwellings. It made more sense now, why her pod had felt safe resting or living here.

She propped her hands on the sand of the bar before her. It was still cool from the dark of night, but Riley enjoyed the pleasant chill as she pulled her tail up onto the sand. She glanced up at the sky, but rather than seeing the fading stars as night waned into day, she saw thick rolling wisps of clouds, and there was the strong taste of fresh water hanging in the air. There was likely to be quite a bit of rain on the way.

Giving herself a shake, Riley refocused on the task at hand – a bit of surface rain was hardly anything to fret about – and she shoved off the sand with her tail and launched herself the rest of the way over the sandbar to plunge down into the water on the other side. She immediately veered out into deeper waters as her beckon guided her down the slope of the island’s shore.

The water grew deep quickly and gave way to more rolling dunes. Riley continued, only to come to a stop at the crest of a particularly large dune. Her belly rubbed over the shifting sands as the tide pulled at her prone form. Below was a sprawling, multitiered reef buzzing with life.

Riley squinted. It was still early in the morning, not many were likely to be awake, but she could see a few sleeping forms scattered among the coral tubes and plateaus. Her heart stalled in her chest. She had known she would have to face the group she had not seen in over five full turns of the seasons, but it had not quite hit her until now. She chewed her lip. She was not quite sure she was prepared for what the day was going to bring.

Riley was not given a chance to ponder it further – in her daze she had let her guard down and now paid for it dearly – as a strong weight crashed into her, pressing her further down into the sand until grit caught in her gills and she began to cough.

Reacting on instinct, Riley pulled her hands in under her and thrust up with all her strength, jerking her tail in the process to help buck her attacker off.

She twisted around to snarl at the assailant. He glared at her and bared his fangs back. His tail was a deep, coconut brown, with a jagged, triangular fin that was a soft, azure green. It contrasted sharply against the dark of his scales, and a long, spiked fin stretched down his tail. He wasted no time in barreling into her again.

Riley grunted as he bowled her over into the sand once more. She growled loudly, finding herself half draped over his shoulder as he followed the momentum of his assault. She dug her nails into his back and clawed, watching plumes of blood erupt into the water as the skin split.

He snarled loudly and then she felt a sharp pressure on the side of her tail. His hands ripped at her gliders so she folded them tightly to her sides to protect them from the onslaught.

She thrashed her tail and he bit down harder in response. She winced as she felt her scales begin to crush beneath the power of his jaws.

With another furious hiss, she turned her head and sunk her teeth into his shoulder. She flared her fins again so that her glider arm caught him sharply across the face. He grunted and released her tail. She opened her mouth and spat his shoulder out, then curled her tail sharply to connect with his chest. The force knocked him back a ways in the water. Riley grinned triumphantly, trying to show off confidence rather than the concern coursing through her veins. The scuffle had barely lasted a few moments so far and already she felt exhausted and heavy once more. She was not sharp enough for a fight, and this Mer was out for blood.

He was clearly on guard, and she did not recognize him – meaning he would not know her either – though she felt that his reaction was rather brutal given she had displayed no aggressive or malicious intent prior to him attacking her. If she did not end the battle soon, she would lose it.

“I have no wish to fight,” she protested as she spat blood from her mouth.

The Mer hissed at her in response. “Trespassers are a threat,” he roared before tackling her down again. He flipped her back onto her stomach, but one hand curled around her wrist, trapping her arm painfully beneath his weight so she could not attempt to throw him again. She turned her head and snarled, lashing her tail, but he merely pressed on her cheek with the other hand so that the gills on one side of her neck were simply stirring sand around. She began to cough.

She was at a sore disadvantage in the fight, not even at a portion of her usual strength. “I am not trespassing,” she hissed as she bucked again, before falling against the sand once more. She could barely breathe, much less muster the energy to keep up the fight.

“Enough!” another Mer growled. Riley heard the Mer holding her down yelp and then suddenly his weight vanished from above her. She remained sprawled in the sand, her chest and gills heaving as she fought to catch her breath and expel the granules that had gotten lodged in her gill slits. “What are you doing, Garroth?”

“I am defending the border against invasion. Why did you interrupt?” her assailant snarled back. Riley could feel the rising tension in the waters. She knew she needed to get up and either defend herself or slip away to return later, but she could not muster the strength to rise just yet.

“She is alone,” the newcomer yelled back. “She is clearly a loner or wanderer. She can pose no threat to us! This is not how we treat newcomers. Now go.”

There was another sharp hiss and a huff, then retreating grumbling as her attacker was dismissed.

Riley had not yet seen the Mer that had come to her rescue, but she was fairly certain they knew each other. He sounded familiar, though he clearly did not recognize her either.

She shivered as she felt him settle in the sand beside her and place a hand on her shoulder. The skin of his fingertips was rough and calloused, but gentle nonetheless. “Can you sit up?” he inquired.

Riley winced but nodded and began to prop herself up.

“I am sorry about Garroth’s behavior; it was inexcusable. He is young and arrogant – a skilled fighter, but this is his first guard shift and I believe it may have gone to his…” the voice trailed off. “Riley?”

Riley huffed and pushed herself the rest of the way to flip onto the butt of her tail and finally look at the Mer beside her. She had opened her mouth to speak, but the words gurgled in her throat as her heart stalled in her chest.

The Mer was a couple cycles her elder, in his second seasonal decade. He was watching her with deep obsidian eyes. His skin was brown-gray, and his hair like a shale of slate, waving in the tide. It had gotten a bit longer since she had last seen him. Deep crimson stripes like thick claw marks wrapped around the sides of his hips and extended down onto a dark gray tail.

Rather than the thick, fish clusters of tightly packed scales like most Mer that Riley encountered, his scales were thick and stretched, growing as he did much like a shark. She knew from her youth that it yielded a rough, sand like texture to his tail, but was as thick and effective an armor as hers. His dark dorsal jutted from his back, curving into a thick point, and two smaller pectorals dug into the sand three quarters of the way to his fin as he twitched the long limb.

Riley’s head was spinning as she struggled to comprehend exactly what she was looking at – who she was looking at. She could not handle many more ghosts reappearing into her life, but this was one reunion that was as wonderful as it was unexpected.

Finding a small reserve of strength, Riley lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him. “Nero,” she murmured. “You are alive.”

After a moment, she felt his arms settle around her shoulders and he pulled her closer. “It has been a long time,” he agreed.

“But I do not understand,” Riley frowned as she pulled away from him. “What happened to you?”

Nero shook his head. “It is a longer story than I wish to tell on this bank. Are you alright?”

“I am,” Riley agreed. “Just drained. I took the twister past the sandbar to get here.”

Nero frowned and gazed beyond her. “That would have killed you.”

“It gave it its best effort,” she coughed. “I blacked out the moment I left. I have not fully recovered.”

“Why would you take the risk?”

“I had to,” she pressed with a shake of her head. “It has been so long since I have been with the group, I was not sure where you were or if you were migrating. This time of year, the pod usually is. I had to catch up.”

“Why?”

Riley grimaced and shook her head. “Not a story I want to share on this bank,” she responded. “Do not take offense, but it is not information for you to hear first.”

Nero nodded and draped her arm over his shoulder. He did not press further, but instead pushed off from the sand and began down towards the reef. Riley slumped against him and allowed him to pull her. While she normally would prefer to get there on her own, the battle had taken too much out of her.

“I am surprised to see you,” Nero said finally, and Riley frowned at the bitter edge that had dripped into his voice. “I did not expect I would. I was not sure I would want to.”

“What do you mean?”

“You left, Riley. I could forgive that normally; I know the relation you have with Aunt Iliene, everyone expected you to hit a breaking point eventually,” he broke off with a sigh. “But you left my mother alone.”

Riley made a soft strangled noise and her heart clenched.

“I was not able to return at first, though I too am guilty of staying away longer, but losing Kera nearly broke her, you know. You should, you were here. You know she considered you one of her own. You left her when she had lost her other children, and you did not come back.”

Riley squeezed her eyes shut and her fins drooped. “I know,” she whispered. “I never wanted to leave Aunt Becca behind. Never. But I was young, and I felt I had no choice but to get away. I ostracized myself from many of our family that day. It hurt too much to come back; felt like I could not. I am sorry.”

Nero hummed in agreement. “It is not me you should apologize to, but I no longer bear you any ill will, Riley. You were a child. I was simply angry at my own failings to my family when I returned.”

Riley nodded. She understood a similar internal conflict.

Nero set her down in the sand between two branches of coral. “I will find my mother; she can help with your fatigue. Wait here,” he instructed.

Before he could leave, however, another Mer approached. “Nero? There you are, I was worried. Oh…hello.” The Mer that approached had wide brown eyes that sparkled in the light, and her head tilted slightly as she smiled at them. Her skin was pale – as was her soft blonde hair – and her orange scales contrasted brilliantly as they shone like a sunset. Soft, peach colored split fins twitched at the end of her tail, and her head was framed in what looked like large, curved scales, thick and rounded rather than sharp or pointed. They circled her skull like a mane.

“Hello,” Riley responded. She had never met this Mer.

Nero swam over to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to nuzzle her cheek. “Karina, this is my cousin, Riley. Riley, Karina is my mate.”

Riley stared in stunned silence. Nero had always been a silent, solemn loner. He tolerated her, he had loved Kera dearly, and was always helpful and kindly towards his mother and father, but he had always preferred keeping to himself and was shy enough that it took days to warm him up to the notion of speaking to a stranger. She could not picture him with a mate.

Her heart swelled. “It is lovely to meet you,” she said as she nodded at Karina. Her gaze drifted down and noticed the Mer’s rounding middle and the translucent, gossamer maternity fins that were beginning to grow from her sides, and her smile widened. “Congratulations.”


	20. The Telling of Tales

Karina settled down in the sand – clearly intent on lingering – as Nero swam off. Riley remained upright, her gaze shifting nervously over the desolate section of reef. Dawn had barely broken, so she was not surprised not many were awake, but she still could not shake the itchy feeling crawling beneath her scales. She was not certain she was prepared to face any of her family or the other changes she was undoubtedly going to find among her former pod. Already a gaping void was growing in her chest, clawing achingly at her heart with every beat.

“Are you alright?”

Riley’s attention snapped from her jumbled worries to the woman resting on the ground in front of her. She was lying on one hip to keep weight off her pregnant belly and was propping herself up with a forearm stretched across the sand. Her tail was curled limply with the tips of her fins twitching through the fine grains. Riley’s brows furrowed.

“You look exhausted,” Karina continued. “You should rest.”

Riley wanted to object, but she knew it was both pointless, and rude to hover while Karina was lying down, so she sunk to the sand with a sigh, her fins stirring up the grit and dust around her as she settled herself. Once she was down, her fatigue slammed into her like a speeding bull shark and she groaned. Her head bowed and the arm she had used to prop herself up quaked with the effort. She sunk a little further down onto the sand and shivered.

“What happened to you?” Karina queried. Her eyebrows dipped together and creases sprouted along her forehead.

Riley stretched out onto her stomach and folded her arms in front of her so she could rest her chin atop the limbs. “I took the twister current to get here and expended a bit too much energy. I will be alright.”

“That was a dangerous choice,” Karina observed.

Riley shrugged, her shoulders scrunching up around her ears and inadvertently jarring her chin against her forearms. “Sometimes a risk is necessary.”

Karina hummed in the back of her throat and did not press the matter further.

“What of you and Nero?” Riley prompted. “My cousin is shy, and not renowned for his social skills. It is hard to picture him with a mate.”

Karina’s eyes twinkled with amusement and a soft giggle bubbled from her lips as she nodded. “He is rather reserved,” she agreed. “But he is also gentle and protective, and he has my heart. But I suppose it is the story you are interested in.”

“Please,” Riley agreed.

Karina dipped her head. “I first met Nero many cycles of the seasons ago. He was badly injured in a vicious storm. Though we never knew exactly what had happened to him, he was found not far from a tempest tube and so we believed he was overpowered by a current and thrown into it,” Karina explained.

Riley winced. Just as a twister current was a temporary current, a tempest tube tended to only manifest during particularly violent storms. They were almost always a death sentence and even she would not consider going near one. The waters were fast enough to slice scales to shreds and they tended to pick up great amounts of debris that made them a deadly cyclone that would either peel away the skin from one’s bones, or toss them to the sand impaled or broken. If it was true, it was a miracle Nero survived at all.

“My grandmother was a fine healer and cared for him, though it was not from her skills alone that he recovered. Nero has always been stubborn, though it appears to run in the family,” Karina continued.

She winked in Riley’s direction and Riley grinned in response. “Perhaps a little,” she agreed.

“I was in my sixteenth turn at the time and I was curious. Our pod did not travel, but remained upon our one reef, and we did not meet many strangers passing through – we were away from any well-travelled waterways. It took a long time for him to be well enough to even swim, so I used to spend the days sitting with him. He did not speak much, and could barely even make eye contact with me for a while – when he was not sleeping – but the silence was comfortable. I did not mind it. Though he nearly scared me witless when he finally did say something. I had been beginning to believe he had no voice at all.”

“That certainly sounds like Nero,” Riley commented. She could imagine her older cousin remaining in brooding silence and retreating to his thoughts rather than braving engaging in conversation.

Karina nodded. “After he broke the silence, we talked more. Not a lot, mind you – he has never been one for lively chats – and mostly I talked and he listened, chiming in on occasion, but I found myself enjoying his company more and more.

“Several moons passed before he was well enough to travel, and we all anticipated he would leave, for he spoke of your pod often enough. I was shocked and overjoyed when he decided to stay. Though neither of us had admitted our fondness to one another, I had fancied the idea that it was because of me. I was right, as I learned later. I believe he knew that I would not follow if he left. I loved him, and I would have missed him, but I was young and had never left the sanctum of my pod. My family was small and it was incredibly uncommon for children to venture off on their own. I regret that it meant his family was forced to believe him dead for so long,” Karina sighed.

Riley frowned and flicked her fins. She tapped her fingers in the sand as she listened to the tale Karina had to tell. “What made you both come here then?” she asked. The details of their blooming courtship were sweet, but Riley’s curiosity overpowered her, and she craved answers.

She immediately regretted the inquiry as Karina’s face fell, caving in on itself as she bowed her head and her entire posture slumped. There was a long moment before the other Mer began to speak. “My pod is gone,” she sighed, a broken whimper strangling the words as she spoke them. “Nero and I had gone off a ways that night. We never went too far, but our bond was new and we enjoyed some solitude to simply enjoy one another’s company. The weather grew poor, and the water turbulent, so we took shelter among the roots of a mangrove forest branching off the coast of a nearby island. We were not too concerned, if anything it was almost exhilarating. I had never really experienced any excitement or risk before, and I never felt unsafe when I was with Nero,” Karina sighed.

“But while we were relatively safe, if quite battered by waves and rain, a human ship crashed into the reef. The rocks and power of the storm were enough to tear its metal belly, and it spilled black poison across the water.”

“Oil,” Riley murmured. She was familiar with similar substances, but it matched the substance Karina spoke of as well, as she had learned from Sophie.

Karina’s lips pressed into a thin, grim line and she nodded. “Dark as squid ink and thicker than kelp pulp. It soured the ocean. Nero and I could taste it even though we were out of range, and by dawn – when the storm had abated – the wind had blown the first globs towards us. We got away only because we were so far from the spill. My family was not so fortunate. It clogs our gills, Riley, and even if we could clear it or remain at the surface to breathe through mouth and nose, the toxicity is fatal. There was nothing to go back to. My family had perished, and the reef was destroyed. We braved venturing back to be sure and were sick for days just for getting close. That was when Nero tracked his pod and brought me here. They have been very welcoming and I am happy here, but the shadows of my past still hang heavy on my heart.”

“I am sorry,” Riley whispered. “It was not my intent to poke at thorns.”

Karina shook her head. “Your ignorance was innocent,” she decided with a slow wave of her hand. “I am heartbroken at the events that brought us here, but I am glad to know Nero’s family. Though, our return was not so happy either. Nero came back to find his family overjoyed to see him, but one dear to him had perished.”

“Kera,” Riley nodded. Though she knew Luna was alive and well, she still secretly mourned the loss of the young girl she had once been. One full of energy and kindness, that defied a fate life had seemed to intend for her.

“Yes,” Karina agreed. “I had looked forward to meeting his little sister. He spoke of her so fondly, how could I not? He did not handle the news so well. He held the hope that perhaps she too had survived. After all, he was believed dead and claimed she had already defied the odds.”

Karina sighed and brushed her hair back behind her ear. “But the sentiment angered your uncle and brought too much distress to Rebecca. I only know her through stories, but Kera was born too early, was she not?”

“Yes,” Riley agreed. “She was small and sickly, and it stunted her growth. No one anticipated she would survive for long. My aunt Becca never played favorites, but losing Kera nearly broke her. She had held her daughter close for many moons, fighting to give her a better chance at life.”

Karina nodded. “A child that young could not have survived on her own, realistically. It is terrible to say, but my pod believed that we only had so much time to exist. I imagine Rebecca gave Kera a little more time, and life came to collect when that finally ran out. Nero could not accept it, but the very mention of her name stirs a conflict with his parents now. The false hope is too painful for them, and I understand that sort of wound. It takes far too long to heal to risk ripping it wide again.”

Riley bit her tongue. She knew the truth and wanted desperately to correct Karina, but that would not help the situation. The older Mer had inadvertently given her crushing, but vital information, and Riley had come to a realization because of it.

She had been gone for too long, and while she did not truly doubt her aunt and uncle would welcome her back, they no longer knew her beyond the stubborn and mischievous child she had been. If she returned now with wild tales of their long dead daughter…she had only anticipated they would share the disbelieving joy that she had experienced when she saw Luna for the first time. She had not considered that it would be seen as a false hope. If she told them now, would they even believe her? Could she convince either of them to accompany her for proof?

She wondered if concealing it from them would be a better method, but she doubted her ability to convince them to come with her.

She forced herself to push the concerns aside. She wanted to reunite with her aunt and uncle before she made any decisions.

Silence lapsed between Karina and herself, but the older Mer did not seem to mind. The dawn was lighting up the water in a faint golden hue and Karina seemed content to simply rest. Riley did not blame her. She imagined it was a lot of work to grow new life within as Karina was.

Riley sighed and shifted her weight to fall slack and allow her eyes to slip closed. She was so tired, it felt like she had swallowed a boulder.

Though the silence was peaceful enough that she could have drifted off, she was not able to remain undisturbed for long and she lifted her head when the water around her shifted. A shadow passed over her seconds before Nero came to rest back down on the sand beside Karina. Riley was about to ask about her aunt, when she felt smooth fingers brush over her spine.

“Lay back down.” Her aunt’s voice was weary and firm, but not unfriendly, and Riley obeyed without question. Rebecca was strict when it came to her patients as a healer, and Riley had long since learned the pointlessness of resisting. “What you did was foolish.”

“I am aware of the risk I took. I was racing to catch up before the migration progressed too far ahead,” Riley muttered back.

Her aunt’s hands were warm and her fingers dexterous as she settled in beside Riley and began to firmly press her fingertips into the muscles along Riley’s back. At first, she winced and squirmed as the stiff tendons protested painfully at the pressure, then sighed when she felt them loosen.

“We have not migrated for a few turns now, Riley.”

Riley groaned and squeezed her eyes shut. The rush, the risk, had all been a pointless and grueling exercise. At least she had arrived rapidly; it meant Luna would have less time to wait. “I did not know.”

There was no response from her aunt and Riley felt her gut clench as her motions paused. When Riley tried to sit back up, her aunt pushed her down again and resumed teasing the tension from her back. “Stay down. What you did was dangerous and you need to allow your body to recover now.”

“I am sorry,” Riley whimpered. Her guilt came flooding like an agonizing weight in her chest. “I should have come to visit. I was so lost in my pain and sense of betrayal that I never even considered coming back. I left behind the few who did love and care for me. I am sorry.”

Riley bit her lip and then pushed herself up and turned to face her aunt. She had to.

Rebecca’s dark brown hair floated around her jawline. It had been longer last Riley had seen her. Her pale face and large brown eyes stared evenly back at Riley. The emerald scales – the only thing that lingered in Luna’s memories – shone in the morning light. At first, there was a disapproving frown on Rebecca’s face, but it softened shortly and she leaned forward to embrace Riley, who threw her arms around her aunt and clung to her.

“You had to go your own way,” Rebecca murmured. “I always knew that, Riley. You had to figure out your life for yourself, and you could not do it here. Did you find it out there?”

Riley nodded against her aunt’s shoulder. “I think so,” she gasped. “I have learned a lot about myself and my dreams, and about family too; what it really means.”

“Good. I am glad.”

Riley carefully untangled herself from her aunt’s embrace. She sat still while her aunt glanced her over. Rebecca’s fingers drifted down to brush over one of her gliders, making Riley shiver.

“You have certainly grown,” Rebecca murmured. “And you hold yourself proud.” Her hand drifted up over Riley’s arm. “Strong and healthy. You have become everything I knew you could; given a little space to do so. Are you happy, Riley?”

“Yes,” Riley responded, surprising even herself with the level of conviction in her tone. She had a family that accepted her, and a consistent home that welcomed her each time she returned, and she felt free to roam or remain at her leisure. Her past was still clouded with pain, but her newfound joy was strong enough to overshadow all of it.

“Then that is all that matters. It was all I ever wanted for you. Now lay back down. You will rest and then eat, and when you have properly recovered, we will speak about the reasons behind your return,” Aunt Becca said. She raised a hand to brush her knuckles along Riley’s cheek, and Riley closed her eyes. She had not realized quite how much she had missed her aunt, and she found herself looking forward to seeing her uncle again as well.

“I suspect it is more than simply a visit that has brought you here if you felt desperate enough to risk your life in a twister. But whatever it is can wait. I will not have you collapsing again.”

Riley frowned. She did not recall mentioning to her aunt how she had passed out upon leaving the current, but Rebecca simply scowled at her and Riley squeaked when her hand came up to whack her over the head.

“I am not a fool, Riley. I know what that would have done to you. You are no longer a child making hasty choices for her family to bail her out of – you are grown now, and you must shake this rash behavior or it is going to catch up with you one day.”

Riley opened her mouth to protest, but when her Aunt’s frown deepened, she decided it wise to simply shut her mouth now. Behind her, she could hear Nero’s soft, half-smothered chortling and she grit her teeth. Nero had always mocked her being lectured. She twisted to glare at him, but faltered under the warm amusement in his gaze. She jabbed a finger in his direction. “I am old enough now to challenge you properly,” she hissed. “I never got the chance before you disappeared. I intend to collect on that once I have my strength back.”

“You are as brash as ever,” Nero responded calmly with a shake of his head.

Riley sensed the motion this time and ducked out of the way of her aunt’s swinging palm. “Yes, yes, I know, I should be resting,” she groaned as she settled back in the sand.

“That was for ignoring what I just said about being hasty,” Rebecca growled. “Now go to sleep or I will make you lie here for even longer. I am sure a few turns of the moon will be sufficient.”

Riley sighed and dropped grumpily down into the sand. “Fine,” she caved. A wide yawn split her lips and she shifted on the ground.

Her aunt’s hands returned on her back and Riley slumped further, a murmur of contentment slipping past her lips as Aunt Rebecca massaged the overworked muscles. Another yawn cracked her jaw wide and she felt her eyes drift closed. Her aunt was good at what she did, and Riley felt herself slipping off the edge of consciousness once more. At least here she was relatively safe, for now.


	21. Panic Attack

Luna winced, grinding her teeth together until her jaw quaked. She curled her fingers into fists until her nails dug painfully into her palms, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She could hear Katie’s strangled coughs and violent heaves from behind the closed door. Sophie had closed it behind her – Luna assumed it was to muffle some of the noise – but it did nothing to block her sister’s moans from her sensitive ears.

Luna gulped and bowed her head, trying to force down the lump choking her.

It was not just how much sicker Katie was becoming that was getting to her. Luna hated the things that she had endured over the years, they had mangled her up and were the source of her nightmares and her moments of uncontrollable panic. But over time, they had become almost mundane. She had grown used to the unimaginable agony, almost expected it. Until it had been Katie’s turn. She had never voiced it to her friend – who had been in the more terrible position at the time – but watching Katie’s suffering had been a new kind of trauma for her, one that broke her down in an entirely unfamiliar way.

Experiencing it had brought back memories Luna had hoped would stay buried forever, ones of her youth, of her earliest days in captivity. Back when things were far from regular, before she lost her voice. She had never begged, she had barely known enough proper English at the time to speak it properly – aside from the occasional time she had slipped into it – but the man who haunted her nightmares knew her voice, knew her cries. She often thought they spurred him on, and when she could no longer scream, it had gotten worse, as if he believed that a new level of pain would rip it free of her throat once more. It still made Luna feel ill to think about.

She knew this was different. Katie’s discomfort was biological, and she was with people who loved her and would do their best to help her, but hearing her pain had those old, dangerous memories bubbling to the surface in Luna’s mind.

On top of that, she was genuinely stressed about her sister. Katie was the most important person in her life. The one who had given Luna an identity and shown her kindness in a sea of cruelty. She was happy here with Lewis and Sophie, and she was eager to reconnect with her birth family, but Katie remained the only person Luna truly felt completely and entirely comfortable with. And now she was growing more and more sickly, and there was nothing Luna could do to help.

Luna squeezed her fists tighter and she felt her eyes sting as liquid began to swim behind the clenched lids. Her chests constricted and her breathing became haggard as it whistled in and out from her gritted teeth.

When the door in front of her swung open on a squeaky hinge, Luna flinched, then curled into a tighter ball as the quaking began. It was an uncontrollable quiver of her entire body, and she tensed her muscles even more in an effort to quell it, despite already being more rigid than an unyielding rock wall, though she did not feel nearly as infallible.

There were a few echoing footsteps, and then a warm hand was placed on her back, firm and steady despite her uncontrollable shaking. “Luna? Honey, are you okay?”

A whimper bubbled past Luna’s lips and her face scrunched as the first of her tears began to slip past the barrier of her closed eyelids. “Want…in,” she hissed, unable to relax enough to speak properly.

“Luna, you can’t go in right now. Katie needs to rest. Lewis is with her, don’t worry,” Sophie uttered in response. “Why don’t we go back to the living room and get you something to drink, okay? I have some peach nectar that you might really enjoy.”

Luna shook her head and her tears dripped from her chin to spatter on the floor below. “I want to stay.”

“I’m worried about the effect this is having on you. You’re getting too worked up. I know this is stressful, but you have too much anxiety to be here right now. Come on, maybe a swim is in order to help you relax.”

“I want to stay,” Luna repeated, more firmly this time. Beyond the still-open door, she could hear Katie’s loud, haggard coughing. It was another fit, and it seemed to stretch on. A strangled sob lodged in Luna’s throat and she curled in on herself until her neck was craned and her face was flush against the floor beneath her.

Above her, she heard Sophie sigh. “Alright, come here.”

Before Luna could properly protest, Sophie was grabbing her and dragging her into her lap. Luna found her face pressed against the woman’s torso as Sophie held her. A second later, she was up off the ground with Sophie’s arm looped around her tail to support it.

“No,” Luna whined as Sophie began to carry her back down the hall. “Put me down.”

She squirmed and Sophie’s grip on her tightened. Under normal circumstances, Luna did not mind being carried – she felt safe with Sophie and knew that the woman would never harm or drop her – but this was not a normal situation and Luna’s stress levels were already too highly elevated. As Sophie’s arms tensed more firmly around Luna, keeping her pinned close, Luna felt her heart rate accelerate until it was drumming violently against her chest, which now felt more like a boney prison that was compressing in on her.

Gripped with a desperate need to get free, Luna jerked her head back and contorted her body, trying to rip free. She felt Sophie stumble beneath her and seconds later she was being lowered rapidly to the floor. “Luna, you need to relax,” Sophie urged.

Instead of releasing her once she was on the ground, Sophie pulled Luna closer and Luna felt her throat close. She squeezed her eyes shut and continued to squirm.

“Relax, Luna, it’s okay,” Sophie pressed, but her voice sounded far away, muffled by a sharp ringing in Luna’s ears.

Her fight or flight surged within her like a swell racing towards the shore. Her heart continued to drum loudly, drowning all other noise. The grip was too tight, too restrictive. Feelings of helplessness, of being trapped swarmed in her head, blocking the light of anything else.

A sob ripped past her lips, quickly morphed into a screech as her senses were overwhelmed. She was gripped with the desperate need to get away, to pull from the grasp holding her, which had become a threat.

Feeling cornered, Luna tossed her head and clamped her jaws down. She faintly heard the pained grunt, but her stress urged her to bite harder, squeezing her jaws as tightly together as she could. A sharp, bitter tang coated her tongue as a viscous fluid pooled in her mouth, but Luna hung on for dear life.

It felt like an eternity before her rapid, shallow breathing began to slow and for her anxiety abate as she realized there had been no firm or brutal repercussions for her actions, which would usually land her in an even worse situation as scientists sought to punish her for lashing out.

Instead, there was only the warmth of the body she was pressed against, and a hand stroking repeatedly down her spine.

“It’s okay, Luna. It’s okay, everything is alright. Come on, Kiddo, just breathe. I need you to relax,” Sophie’s tone was soft, soothing, but also tense as if she had spoken them through gritted teeth.

Luna inhaled through her nose, feeling concerned, and finally opened her eyes. A bitter taste hung in her mouth and when she swallowed in an attempt to clear it, she nearly choked as the puddle in her mouth slipped down her throat. There was still blood welling up around her lips and as Sophie hugged her carefully, Luna began to realize exactly what was going on – where she was – and what she had done. She recoiled with a cry, releasing Sophie’s shoulder and pulling away to flop to the floor.

Tears flooded her gaze again as she watched Sophie clap a hand over the wound currently staining her white shirt a bright crimson.

Lewis stepped around her in order to crouch beside the woman. Sophie tried to wave him away, but he ignored her and shooed her fingers away. “Let me look,” he instructed.

Sophie’s face was scrunched into a pained mask as she reluctantly released her grip on her shoulder and shrugged her one arm out of the shirt. Luna got a good look at the rather deep looking puncture marks briefly before they were concealed by the blood pooling up from within.

The front door squeaked as it was unlocked and pushed open, but Luna could not tear her gaze away from the damage she had caused long enough to see who it was. Lewis looked up, however, his deep brown eyes clouded with concern.

“Lukshia,” he breathed. “Thank goodness. Can you grab me a towel and the bandages from the bathroom please?”

There was no response – though Luna had come to learn Lukshia rarely asked questions in the moment, and tended to save them for a better time, if she asked at all – and footsteps echoed down the hall. Lewis took Sophie’s place applying pressure to the wound.

Luna covered her mouth, tears streaking down her cheeks, and felt her stomach flip at the acrid taste still clinging in her mouth.

Sophie glanced up and caught her gaze, her face still twisted in a grimace. Her expression softened a moment later, however. “Luna, it’s alright,” she repeated.

Luna shook her head, her hands coming up to pull at the roots of her hair. “No,” she wailed. “No, no it is not. I hurt you. I am sorry, I am so sorry. I did not mean to.” She sniffed loudly as sobs began to wrack her frail form. She yanked harder at her hair and pulled her tail closer to her body so Lukshia would not have to step over it as she returned and silently handed the previously requested items to Lewis.

“Oh, Luna, I know it was an accident; it’s okay sweetheart.”

Luna shook her head again, curling in on herself once more. Her heart had returned to its frantic pounding. Sophie had done nothing but offer her kindness and support since the moment she had met her, and now she had repaid the favor with violence. The weight of the guilt sat heavily, crushing Luna’s heart and lungs until she could barely breathe. “I am a monster,” she whispered.

“No, you’re not,” Sophie objected. “Don’t say that. This was not your fault, Luna.”

“It’s beginning to clot,” Lewis announced. “It doesn’t look like the bone was cracked, though the muscle is going to take a little while to heal.”

“Not helpful right now,” Sophie hissed as he began to press the towel firmly against her shoulder. “Luna, come here,” she requested, holding out her good arm and beckoning with a flick of her wrist.

Luna did not move. She could not. Then she felt another hand rest on her head, and she jerked away, her tail sliding noisily against the floor as she scrambled back from Lukshia. “Stay away,” she whimpered. “I do not want to hurt anyone else.”

“Sophie, I need you to lift your arm,” Lewis requested. Luna flinched at Sophie’s sharp intake of breath and ducked her head so she would not have to look at the havoc she had caused.

“Luna.” Sophie had to say her name twice before she finally glanced back up. “Come here.”

Again, Luna tossed her head and dug her nails into the wood below. “I hurt you,” she sobbed. “I am dangerous. I need to stay away, you need to keep away, I do not want to hurt anyone else. I am sorry.” Luna felt her throat close once more. She had bitten people before, scientists and their lackeys who were hurting her, when her fear got the best of her and opportunity presented itself. But that had been a desperate gamble on a survival instinct. Never before had she attacked someone innocent, someone who meant her no harm and had shown nothing but generosity and acceptance.

Sophie had been so warm and welcoming and had offered Luna a home for as long as she needed or desired it – a gesture that meant the world – and to make everything worse, she was Katie’s mother. She had wounded the one person Katie valued above all else, and she did not even have a good reason for doing so. She had behaved no better than the aggressive animal she had often been portrayed as.

She sniffed again, bringing a hand up to swipe at her nose. She did not feel she deserved Sophie’s kindness, nor the right to meet her former family, not when she was such a risk to the people around her.

She had not heard Sophie approach and did not know she was there until she crouched down and draped one arm over Luna’s shoulders. “Luna, look at me,” she instructed, tensing her grip when Luna tried to shy away.

Reluctantly, Luna glanced up and gazed at Sophie through a blurred gaze. She blinked away the tears and forlornly regarded the thick bandage strips now secured around Sophie’s shoulder.

“This was not your fault,” Sophie began. Luna found herself being pulled closer to rest against Sophie again. The woman began to pet her hair, and even bent to kiss her brow. “This was an accident. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I know you are prone to panic attacks and traumatic episodes that you have no control over. I shouldn’t have grabbed at you like that while you were stressed. I should have respected your request to be released the moment you asked. I screwed up, and that’s on me. You are not a monster and you didn’t do anything wrong, and I am going to be fine, okay? Please don’t beat yourself up over it, alright?”

Luna sniffed again, but she could not help herself in nuzzling closer to Sophie. She did not feel she deserved it, but she still craved the comfort and assurances. “I am sorry,” she whispered.

“I know,” Sophie agreed. “But you don’t have to be; I’m alright. Besides, it didn’t even hurt.”

“You are just saying that to make me feel better,” Luna muttered.

“Luna, do you think this is the first time I’ve been bitten? I work in a field that involves rescuing and rehabilitating wild animals. I’ve taken a blow or two over the years. The Mer bite is definitely powerful, and I have no doubts you could have ripped my arm off if you had wanted to, but you were actually as polite about it as possible – for biting someone. It hurt initially, but you didn’t rip or even move. The worst part about it was the pressure. You’ve got some serious jaw strength, kid.”

Luna hung her head and did not reply. She curled her fingers back into fists, and twin tears dripped from her face to splatter across her knuckles. She did not find the information overly comforting and was not certain why Sophie seemed so relaxed about it. She could have done serious damage.

Sophie caught her by the chin and gently tilted her head back up until they were looking at each other. Her expression was calm, but Luna worried at her lip and fresh tears brimmed in her eyes. “This wasn’t your fault,” Sophie repeated. “Oh, hon, I know you’d never hurt anyone on purpose; not unless you were forced. You’re such a sweet girl, Luna; please don’t tear yourself apart over this. It’s okay, I promise.”

Luna sighed and slumped down. Sophie seemed to take advantage of that as she shifted closer and pulled Luna against her, rubbing her hand along her arm. “Okay,” Luna caved. “I am sorry.”

Sophie hummed in agreement, but there was no need for anything more to be said. For a few moments, silence stretched, but Luna was comfortable with it. She brought a hand up to wipe at her tears. She still felt guilty, but she did not want Sophie to have to keep comforting her, so she forced her feelings down for later.

The four of them sat in silence – she and Sophie on the ground, Lukshia leaning against one wall with her arms crossed as she surveyed the room, and Lewis carefully wrapping bandages back into a little white box – until it was shattered by an explosive coughing fit that echoed down the hall and was bad enough to send Lewis hurrying back down towards Katie’s room. Lukshia paused for a moment before following.

“You can go,” Luna murmured as she caught Sophie staring after them. The woman had tensed like she wanted to get up and race to Katie’s side.

Sophie shook her head and pulled Luna a little bit closer, her injured arm still hanging limply at her side. “No, there’s no sense having everyone crowd around her. Lewis will make sure she’s alright. I’m better off out here with you. Do you want to talk about what happened, Luna? Why were you so worked up? I know Katie being sick has been stressful on all of us, and especially hard on you, but I have a feeling that’s not the entire story. Is there something else?”

Luna’s breath caught in her throat as she hesitated. She did not quite feel up to talking about it, but also felt she owed Sophie something of an explanation. “Some bad memories just came back,” she said finally, choosing to give a vague portion of the truth, rather than refuse or have to go into a painful amount of detail. “It was bad timing.”

Sophie did not respond immediately, and Luna swallowed heavily. She hoped that she would not press for more details because she was not sure she could handle retelling the story. But thankfully, Sophie did not seem intent on pressing for more details, and she instead gently squeezed Luna’s arm. “I think I owe you an apology as well, Luna,” she announced after a moment. “I should have had a lot more respect for your boundaries. I forget sometimes just how much you are dealing with, and I usually try to give you space when it seems like you need it, but I messed up on that today. I shouldn’t have just picked you up like that without warning when you were clearly distressed and there should have been no hesitation when you asked me to put you down.”

“It is alright,” Luna echoed in a hushed tone. She did not feel Sophie was the one in the wrong.

“No, it isn’t,” Sophie refused. “You have had more than enough experience with people trampling over your comfort zone, you shouldn’t have to deal with it here too. I care about you, and I try to make decisions when necessary based on what I think is the best thing I can do for you girls. But you are not a small child, and you have been through a harrowing ordeal. You are in a better position to know what you need at any given time and I am going to respect that more from now on.”

Luna’s vision began to blur with fresh tears, though these ones flowed from the overwhelming joy that ignited in her chest, rather than the guilt and sorrow that had been crushing her. She had never had anyone say anything quite like that to her before. There had been a few who had acknowledged her sentience and treated her relatively fairly because of it, but she could not describe how precious it was to be given that level of respect and control over her own being.

Her sense of self had felt owned for years, with a lack of control and no right to choose. Since Katie showed up, she had been allowed to feel less alone, like she had a companion to face the terrors of life with. And when they left it all behind, she began to feel a lot less like a controlled object, but she still was always prone to simply doing what anyone said because she did not know any differently and was quietly afraid that refusal would shatter the safe and accepting environment she now had.

As her tears spilled down her cheeks, Luna threw her arms around Sophie, squeezing under her arms rather than risking putting pressure on her fresh injury. “Thank you,” she choked, unable to manage anymore words as her throat closed up and she pressed her face into Sophie’s shirt.

Sophie squeezed her with her good arm and Luna exhaled softly, all her previous tension slipping away for a moment. It felt incredible just to be held and to feel loved. She was not entirely sure Sophie had known her long enough to truly care for her or consider her part of her family, but it felt like it sometimes and that was enough for Luna.

“Sophie?” Lewis’ worry filled tone shattered the moment, and Luna pulled away and sat back on her tail as Sophie turned to look at him. Luna glanced up too. Lewis’ dark face had creased with lines as his eyebrows dipped together, and he was wringing the fingers on one hand.

“What’s wrong?” Sophie lurched to her feet and Luna felt her heart stall in her chest. They seemed very concerned and she hoped Katie was okay.

“I have to make a trip back down to the park for some equipment. I was talking to Lukshia about it while we were in with her…Katie’s getting worse, fast. You know she’s stopped eating because she can’t keep anything down, but between the coughing and her throat beginning to swell, she having trouble breathing properly. She needs to be on IV and I think it would be safest to prepare to put her on oxygen as well. We won’t have a choice if this gets much worse.”

“It’s that bad?” Sophie’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Luna watched Lewis hang his head. “I’m trying, Sophie, but I’m not a doctor and honestly, I don’t think one could help her. We don’t know enough about their biology to isolate what’s causing this, much less treat it.” He paused and ran a hand through his hair. “The best I can do is try to keep her comfortable enough to fight it on her own.”

Luna felt her eyes begin to water again. She did not understand all of what Lewis was saying, but it sounded very bad.

“We don’t have all of that equipment at the park,” Sophie stated after a long pause.

Lewis shook his head. “No, but we have enough to get her on an IV supplement for now. Lukshia has offered to obtain the rest. I’m not sure who she is, but she seems to have her fingers in more things than I want to know, because it takes some serious connections to pull professional medical equipment out of thin air. The good news is, I can use all of it – I have the training – we just need to acquire it.”

Sophie pulled out a chair from the table and sunk into it, putting her face in her hands. “Do what you have to.”

Luna’s heart clenched as Sophie’s broken tone. “I-is Katie going to d-die?” Her voice cracked, and she coughed on the words as she asked. Part of her did not want to know the answer.

When Lewis turned to look at her, his lips were pressed into a grim line and his dark brown eyes were glistening with barely concealed pain. He did not reply immediately, and when he did, it was whispered with a deep helplessness as he shook his head. “I don’t know, Luna. I really don’t know.”

Before Luna could even react, her attention was drawn to the smothered whine that Sophie made in response to Lewis’ statement.

Luna closed her eyes to fight back more tears. As painful as it was to consider losing her sister – her best friend – she imagined it had to be twice as painful to lose a daughter. And Sophie had already lost Katie once. She had just gotten her back, and Luna could not imagine what it must feel like now that she might have her daughter potentially ripped away again.

Luna dragged herself over and leaned her head against Sophie’s knee and wrapped her arms around her leg. It was all she could reach while on the ground like this, but she hoped that it would still provide some level of the comfort she was attempting. She closed her eyes again and felt Sophie’s hand come to rest on the crown of her head.

“I’ll do everything I can,” Lewis declared, softly breaking the silence. “There’s still a chance. I have to go now. Soph, you should go sit with her. It’s best that there’s always someone keeping an eye on Katie right now, in case something happens, and Lukshia is probably going to need to take off too, by the sounds of it.”

“I’ll go sit with her,” Sophie agreed.

“I want to come too,” Luna decided. She knew she could not do much to help Katie get better, but she wanted to be close regardless.

She glanced up and watched Sophie grimace. For a moment, she was convinced Sophie was going to refuse.

“I don’t know if you should be getting too close; I’m still worried about you catching this, especially now that it’s getting so severe,” Sophie started, though it sounded like she was talking more to herself than to Luna. “But I did just make you a promise, and I intend to keep it. But Katie needs to rest, so if having two of us in there is going to keep her up, you’ll have to leave okay?”

Luna nodded. It was more than fair, and she would never want to cause detriment to Katie’s wellbeing anyways. “Okay,” she agreed. She just hoped everything was going to be alright.


	22. Reconnecting

“You are looking a little pale, Karina; are you alright?”

“Rebecca, you need not fuss over me, I am fine.”

Riley cracked an eye open to examine the scene going on before her. She was still feeling rather lazy and was too comfortable to bother with moving just yet. Karina was a few tail-lengths away, sprawled over a large, smooth rock. She lay on her side with her tail pulled up beneath her, and she was resting her head on Nero’s tail.

Nero was half curled around her, sitting up and stroking his fingers through her hair, watching as his mother hovered over them both.

Riley watched as her Aunt’s fintips twitched. “At least let me check on the baby.”

“They are fine too,” Karina groaned. Riley bit her lip to smother her amusement as she watched the pregnant Mer shift onto her back anyways.

Strands of Rebecca’s short coconut colored hair drifted around her ears as she dropped to the ground beside Karina and lay a hand flat on her rounded belly with her fingers splayed.

To her credit, Karina did not flinch or squirm when she began to gently press and rub over the smooth, slightly bulged skin; Riley did not think she could remain quite so still.

After a moment, her Aunt pulled away and Karina sat up, propping herself on her elbows. “I appreciate all that you are doing, Rebecca, but I really am alright; and I promise if that changes, I will say something. I have just been a little tired is all.”

Nero leaned forward and nuzzled his nose against her cheek. His murmured tone was so soft that Riley barely caught what he said. “Then you should rest.”

Karina brought a hand up to cup his face and kissed his opposite cheek. “I _am_ resting,” she protested lightly. She settled back down and laid her head back on his tail. “Or at least, I would be if I was not being disturbed so much.”

“Stubborn,” Nero muttered.

In the next heartbeat, he flinched as Karina’s hand moved to his tail. While Riley did not quite see the subtle motion, based upon Nero’s reaction, she could only assume she had pinched him.

“And lovely,” he added hastily as he rubbed her arm. Karina hummed shortly in the back of her throat. Nero’s lips split into a grin and his hand returned to petting her hair and rubbing at her skull. Karina’s soft brown eyes slid shut and her hum returned, a deep rumbling content that echoed in the water. Riley barely smothered a chuckle.

“It is not polite to eavesdrop, Riley,” her Aunt scolded as she twisted to initiate a stare down with a knowing and amused look glistening in her gaze.

Riley yawned and dragged her stiff muscles into a massive stretch, her fins flicking out and her arms pushing out past her face. She snapped her jaws shut and then drew her arms back in, folding them over one another beneath her chest to prop herself up a bit more. “If you do not wish to be overheard, do not have a conversation directly in earshot,” she replied, grinning widely with the tip of her tongue poking out between her fangs.

“You have not changed,” Rebecca sighed with a shake of her head.

Riley shrugged, then her lips twisted into a frown as she arched her back. She felt stiff, and her hip was locked again, though she tried not to let that show, lest her Aunt begin to fuss over it. “How long did I sleep?”

“The sun rose and set twice,” Karina answered and Riley found her gaze snapping to the peach-scaled Mer. Karina’s warm brown eyes regarded her calmly, but Riley felt her heart squeeze within the confines of her ribs. She had slept for that long? She shuddered. She must have overtaxed herself more than she originally thought.

“We moved you yesterday,” Karina continued, her own mouth dipping into a frown. “Do you not recall?”

Riley shook her head. “No. I guess I needed the rest more than I thought.”

“I gave you something to help you sleep,” Rebecca added. “You are very lucky that sleep was all you needed. A trip like that could have killed you, Riley. I do not care the reason; you are never to attempt something like that again.”

“I do not plan on it,” Riley agreed. “But you should not have wasted your resources on me. I would have been fine without the red kelp.” The roots of red kelp stalks were powerful in inducing deep sleep. Mer avoided the relatively rare plant because of it, but it made for a good way of ensuring the sick or injured got the rest they needed.

“I thought you did not remember being woken yesterday,” Rebecca commented. “How do you know what I gave you?”

Riley’s smile was small and tentative as she gazed at her Aunt. “I paid attention, you know; all those times I stayed with you.”

“I thought you were merely avoiding your mother.”

“I was,” Riley admitted. “To an extent. But I also enjoyed being with you, and I do like to learn. I want to know everything I can. Whenever you were working, I watched and I listened, and I remembered. Some of the knowledge has helped me over the turns.”

The pride that glowed in her Aunt Becca’s eyes had Riley lifting her head a little higher. She was no longer a youngling that craved praise, but it still filled her with satisfaction to know that her Aunt was able to see her as more than a reckless, headstrong child. She may have been once, and she still did not cower at risk, but she had grown. There had always been a sense of emptiness that few would ever see it, for they had not known her prior. The moment was warm while it lasted, but then her Aunt’s face slowly warped back to one of concern.

“You seem to have done very well for yourself, but I still have concerns. We need to talk about your side.”

“It is a rather brutal looking scar,” Nero observed. “What happened?”

“It does not matter,” Riley replied. “It is just a scar.” She did not want to get into the details of her most recent two injuries. There were too many related topics that she had not yet figured out how to share with all of them.

Riley reared her head back and her gliders flapped in alarm as Aunt Becca shoved her face into hers. Her eyebrows were furrowed into a tight line and her eyes were hard as she stared Riley down. “I am not talking about your scar, Riley. I am more concerned with your hip.”

“My hip is fine,” Riley countered in an even tone.

“It appeared to be bothering you when we moved you yesterday. You were barely swimming.”

Riley shrugged and averted her gaze. She did not like lying to her aunt, but she had no desire to dive into this topic. “I was probably just not lucid. I am fine.”

When she peeked back up, she found her aunt gazing evenly back at her with a grim line pressed over her mouth and one eyebrow raised. “Then prove it and move,” she demanded, jerking her chin at Riley’s side.

Riley froze at the request. Her hip was seized up from being still for so long, and she knew there was no chance of popping it back into motion without her aunt noticing.

Rebecca’s eyebrow raised a little higher at her hesitation and Riley hissed in frustration. “Okay, it gets stiff sometimes if I lie still too long,” she admitted. “But it is fine, it only hurts a little to get it moving again, and it does not give me problems otherwise.”

Aunt Becca shook her head and her gaze clouded. She brushed a hand over Riley’s side and Riley flinched at the contact. “That is not fine, Riley. It could get you killed on your own as you often are. How did this happen?”

“It was broken in an accident. Took a while to heal, but I promise it is fine. I am fine. You do not need to fuss over me.”

“You broke the bone?” Rebecca repeated, her splayed fingers rising to cover her mouth. “Oh Riley, something like that does not heal well, ever. I am amazed you can swim at all.”

Riley had opened her mouth to protest, but closed it when Aunt Becca reached out and cupped her cheek. “I am glad you came here, Riley. You must stay now, you understand? We are stationary – it is nice here – and you will not need to worry about heavy travelling or being at risk if your side seizes up. I should be able to help you manage pain if it gets worse, which it will over time,” she continued. “I know you have your concerns about staying, but you are no longer a child; you have your own voice and Iliene has no control over you. It has been a long time; you may find things have changed. But I cannot allow you to continue to roam the oceans alone in such a state.”

Riley leaned into her aunt’s touch for a moment, then pulled away with a shake of her head. “I appreciate your concern, Aunt Becca – really I do – but I cannot stay permanently, and I am no longer alone. I came here for a reason, but after that, I will be going home,” she explained. She could not help the soft smile that spread on her lips as she thought of home, of her family. Already her heart yearned and the instinctive call pulling her back thrummed noisily in her ears with every beat of her heart. She finally had a place to belong.

“Why are you here then?” her aunt sighed, suddenly seeming so much older and tired.

Riley was surprised she did not push the issue, but chose to let it go. She did not need any more distractions. But now no longer seemed like a good time to tell Aunt Becca about her presumed dead daughter. Karina’s unintended warning still lingered heavily on Riley’s heart. She knew the news would not be well received if she just dumped it on her aunt. She needed support, and a gentler means of delivering her message.

In a rash decision, she glanced over at Nero – still flopped over a smooth rock with Karina sprawled against him while he rubbed her head – and chewed her lip. His dark eyes were fixated on her as well. “Can I speak to you, please?” she finally decided, making a rash choice that she could only hope would yield merit. “Alone?”

Silence stretched through the four of them, and she could feel Rebecca’s piercing gaze drilling into the side of her head, though her Aunt said nothing.

“I could use some exercise,” Karina stated finally as she sat up. “It is good to still move around. Rebecca, would you accompany me for a swim? I would rather not go alone.”

“Alright,” Rebecca agreed, though there was a strangle in her tone that made Riley frown. Karina, however, had made eye contact and nodded in understanding. Riley returned the motion, grateful that her cousin’s mate was so willing to assist. “We should go find Ixion anyways. He has been wondering after the situation. Join us when you are done, both of you,” she instructed, though she directed the statement at Nero alone.

He nodded silently and both watched as the two Mer swam off. Only once they were out of sight did Nero’s gaze whip back around to her. “When I first found you, you told me your news was not for me to hear first. How is it that I am the one you need to converse with now? You did not even know I was alive, your message could not possibly be for me.”

“It is,” Riley replied. “Not just for you, but it is relevant to you. I was not intending to tell you first, but I need your help.”

“With what?” Nero inquired. He pushed from his rock and closed the distance to sit on the sand in front of her with his tail tucked beneath him. His shaggy gray hair waved freely in the water, darting in and out of the way of his eyes. He folded his hands against his tail and regarded her with the same calm, stoic expression he almost always seemed to wear.

“How would you react if I told you something unbelievable? Something that might seem impossible? It is good, I promise, but I have come to learn it is also a dangerous topic that is not so freely discussed any longer.”

“It would depend on what it was,” Nero answered. His gaze had narrowed. “What is your impossibility? Speak no lies, Riley, I care not for tricks or pranks.”

Riley shook her head. “I would never. Not about something like this. Nero…it is about your sister, she-”

She was cut off by Nero’s low warning growl. His lips had begun to pull back to reveal his clenched fangs. “You should not mention her so calmly as though discussing the weather or fair hunting. Do not dare mention in front of my mother; she has endured enough pain. Why dredge more up?”

“Because Kera is alive,” Riley snapped back. She searched Nero for his reaction, but his expression only darkened with furrowed brows and sharp creases. Riley forced herself to relax and speak more softly. “You believed it once too.”

Nero shook her head. “I could not accept that she was gone. My grief fed a desperation for an alternative. It was nothing more than a fruitless wish, Riley.”

Riley shook her head and reached out to lay her hand over Nero’s. “This is no wish, Nero. Kera is alive. I have seen her, spoken with her. She is why I have come; to reunite her family.”

Nero was silent for a long time and Riley could hear her heart pounding in her chest as she waited tersely for a reaction. “I want to believe that,” Nero sighed. “But I do not.”

“I speak only truth, Nero. Why else do you think I would be here? I never intended to come back, Nero. I told myself I would visit, I felt guilt over never doing so, but I was never going to return. I would not merely to stir trouble. You must know that only something immense and important would draw me back now,” she pressed.

“Why did she not accompany you, if what you say is true?”

Riley shook her head. “She could not have made the journey, Nero. I came here under the impression that I was racing a migration. Kera cannot surf a current. It would have taken us over a moon to reach you without the aid of swift water. I came to bring her parents back with me – just temporarily – to meet her again, know her, and take her home when she was able. But I am sure she would be thrilled for her brother to come too.”

Again, there was a long silence, but Riley held Nero’s gaze evenly. She would not back down. Luna needed her mother and father, and Riley needed Nero’s assistance to convince them to accompany her.

“Why tell me first?”

Riley smiled wryly and shrugged. “Look at how you reacted,” she reminded. “Do you think your father would be any calmer? Or that Aunt Becca would be able to handle the news? I have not been here for a long time; I no longer have the benefit of the doubt with our family, Nero, no matter how they may love or accept me. They will not believe me readily. I need your support.”

Once again, silence lapsed between them. “How?” he finally whispered. “How is it possible for her to be alive? She was so little, Riley. So young and weak, you know, you remember.”

“I do,” Riley acknowledged. “She could not have survived on her own, separated from the pod and lost in the oceans. But Nero, she has not been in the ocean all this time. Kera went missing due to human intervention. She was captured out of the water and taken to land. She has not had a pleasant life since then, and hers is a tale of pain and suffering to levels I cannot properly fathom still, and I have heard much of the past.

“It was only very recently that Kera – with the aid of a friend – was able to get free of the facility they were being kept at. It was by pure chance that I happened to be in the same area to find them, but it is her, without even the shallowest puddle of doubt,” Riley reported.

During her statement, Nero had bowed his head and begun to pick at a loose flake on his tail. He did not look back up or move to speak for several heartbeats. Finally, “If what you say is true… my poor little sister. I should have been there to protect her.”

“There was nothing you could have done,” Riley refused. “There was nothing anyone could do.”

“What is she like now?” Nero inquired.

Riley smiled and flicked her fins through the water. She was glad Nero was finally starting to come around, despite how much the hope had to hurt. “There are a lot of changes,” Riley admitted, selecting her words carefully. “She has been through a lot and it has affected her greatly. But I still see much of my little cousin within her. She is sweet and curious, if a little shy. She has a lot of life in her, but she is also easily overwhelmed and reserved at times, and she struggles with trust, but I believe she just needs a little time to heal. Having her family close will help with that. She does not believe she is good enough, that her mother and father will want her.”

“That is ridiculous,” Nero huffed. “How could they not? She is their daughter and my parents will be overjoyed to be with her. How could she not know that?”

“She does not remember very much about the past,” Riley told him. “I had to tell her what her name was. It has been too long and she has been through too much, her self-esteem is not very high. But that is why it is so important that Aunt Becca and Uncle Ixion come with me. She needs them, now more than she ever did. And her brother too, if he will come.”

Nero nodded. “It is a painful topic, Riley. It will not be easy to convince them. It brings my mother too much pain to discuss Kera, and my father is very protective of her. I do not know how to tell them,” he admitted.

Riley sighed. “I was hoping you might have an idea. I agree that they will not react well to the news, especially coming from me. Your initial reaction has proved that. But I do not know how I would get them to come without telling them.”

Nero made a noise in the back of his throat. “Could I make the journey back with you and simply bring her home?”

“It is more complicated than that,” Riley refused. “And the journey would be too perilous without providing her proper training. She has spent next to no time in the ocean and has no survival skills. And you cannot part from your mate for that long. She will need you when the time for birth comes.”

Nero sighed and beat the sand with a fist. “I understand now why you wanted to tell me first. So we need to get them to come with us, without telling them why.” He paused for a moment and gazed towards the surface. “Perhaps we could appeal to my mother’s skills,” he suggested.

Riley paused to mull the possibility over in her mind. “As a healer, you mean?”

Nero nodded. “Exactly. Tell her that you have come because someone back at your new home is very sick and in need of care. That you lack a healer and do not have the time to sway the trust of a stranger. She has too big a heart, she may just agree.”

“It might work,” Riley agreed. “Although I hate to lie to her.”

“I think given the situation that she will forgive you. If you are telling the truth, that is.”

“I am,” Riley vowed.

“Then let us go,” he decided as he pushed off the sand and grabbed her by the wrist.

Riley yelped as he dragged her up and she wound up flipping on her side due to her locked joint. Grimacing, she twisted slowly until it cracked noisily and loosened up once more. She was really going to have to get Lewis to look at it.

“Are you alright?” Nero checked. “I should have warned you. But they should know, and soon.”

Riley nodded. “I have no desire to delay,” she agreed.

She flicked her fins and followed him up over the reef. Her family was large and spread across the corals. A few sat up and stared as she and Nero swam overhead. She imagined it would not be long before a crowd gathered wanting to greet and wring details of the past cycles from her.

They found Karina and Aunt Becca at the edge of the shelf. Nero darted immediately to his mate’s side and checked on her, placing a hand on her belly and his lips against hers in a tender gesture. Rebecca was perched on a large mound of brain coral and was tracing a finger through the lime green groves.

Beside her was Riley’s uncle. Ixion was a large Mer, the rippling muscle over his chest and arms aiding to his size. Riley knew he could easily snap a threat into a broken heap when angered enough. He kept his hair short – well above his ears – a small patch of dark brown tendrils. His skin was a browned gray, much like Nero’s and his tail was rippled with green-gray scales. They were light and faded, unlike Rebecca’s brilliant hues, more a light gray with some soft green mixed in. Running down the sides of his tail were small strips of waving webbing, gray-white in color to match the silvery split fins that erupted from the tip of his tail. His dark eyes watched Riley carefully from his spot with his arms wrapped around his mate.

“Riley,” he greeted in a rather gruff tone. If Riley did not already know it was simply how he was, she would have imagined he was displeased with her. “I hear you had quite the dramatic arrival. You have not changed much from your youth then.”

Riley grinned and stuck her tongue out between her fangs. “It is good to see you as well, Uncle.”

He hummed in response. “And what brings you back around after so many seasons?”

“Yes, what did the two of you discuss?” Karina prompted as she nudged Nero, who had sat beside her once more. She leaned against him and he wrapped an arm around her.

“I would like to know as well,” Rebecca agreed.

Riley hesitated and glanced at Nero. Warmth sparkled in his obsidian gaze and he nodded softly, a barely noticeable bob of his chin. It was a small gesture, but it filled her with a bit more confidence; which was all she needed.

“I need your help, Aunt Becca,” she began. She twisted her fingers as she spoke and her gliders shuffled at her sides, betraying her nerves.

“My help with what?” Rebecca pressed, her tone gentle.

Riley chewed her lip and looked away. “I have found a home recently, with people who accept me and want me to stay. I am happy there. But-” Riley hesitated, the lie sitting heavily on her tongue. “Something has happened, someone is sick. I do not have the means or knowledge to help and she is unable to travel. I did not know where else to come or what else to do.”

Rebecca pursed her lips and nodded. “You want me to come back with you,” she stated. It was not a query.

“Yes,” Riley confirmed. “Please Aunt Becca; I know you do not like to leave the pod, but I need you and I will never ask such a boon again, you have my vow on that.”

There was visible hesitation on her Aunt’s face and Riley’s heart sunk. She did not know what she would do if she refused. Her Aunt and Uncle would never believe the truth now if it followed a lie, and she was starting to think she had made the wrong choice.


	23. Turmoil

The blood pounded in Riley’s ears as her heartbeat thrummed in her chest. She could not stand it as the silence stretched, and she found her fingers clasping together of their own volition. “Please,” she pleaded, suddenly feeling full to the brim with desperate emotion as if – for a moment – she believed her own lie. “I need you, Aunt Becca.”

And she did. It was more than just about Luna – though that was enough to drive her to a frantic state – but Riley desperately wanted her aunt – who had cared for her so tenderly in her youth – to meet her new family now. She wanted the old and new to mix and know her completely. She imagined Sophie and Aunt Becca would get on quite well. It was going to be a larger family reunion than she had initially thought or planned, and it meant a lot to her.

But there was still visible reluctance plastered across her Aunt’s face, and her Uncle Ixion’s brows had dipped as he frowned. Neither looked like they were inclined to agree.

She felt terrible for lying to them, and the idea that it would be for nothing and she would simply betray their trust was a powerful torment on Riley’s soul; enough that she wound up sinking to the sand, her fingers curling through the coarse grains. “I am sorry,” she whimpered through gritted teeth. “I do not know what else to do.”

Riley bowed her head and squeezed her eyes shut. A few heartbeats later, she felt tender hands cup either side of her face and slowly pull her head back up until she was staring into the softened brown gaze of her aunt.

Rebecca leaned forward until their heads touched and her eyes slid shut. “This is not a small request, Riley. I have a role to play here, among our family and I do not care to stray from those I love. But for you, I will come; it clearly means a lot to you that I do, and it would be cruel to send you back to watch those you love die without attempting to aid. But know that I cannot offer any guarantees. Injuries are one thing, but disease does not befall us often, and there may be nothing I can do.”

Riley nodded. “I understand. Thank you, Aunt Becca.” She wrapped her arms around her aunt’s neck and squeezed her tightly. Relief swept through Riley. She still felt guilty for lying, and there would likely be consequences for it, but she would deal with those as they came. She trusted they would forgive her for the false words when they learned the reason.

“We cannot leave just yet,” Aunt Becca continued. “I know you will be anxious to set out, but I require a little time to prepare. We will leave when the sun is at its peak. In the meantime, you will do something for me.”

Riley glanced up at her aunt with a slight frown marring her features. She was more than willing to assist her, but there was something in her aunt’s tone that made her weary of the request.

Her aunt pursed her lips. “I want you to go talk to her.”

Riley bristled instantly. She did not need a name to know who her aunt meant. She opened her mouth to protest, but Rebecca raised a hand and the refusal died with a gurgle in Riley’s throat.

Rebecca’s tone was sharp, her gaze hardening as she stared Riley down. “If you want me to come, you will do this, Riley,” she instructed. Though she did not bare her teeth, Riley saw the flash of her aunt’s fangs behind her pursed lips. Then Rebecca’s expression softened and she brushed some of Riley’s hair behind her ear. “I know that Iliene hurt you, Riley and that there are many unpleasant memories; but it has been a long time now. You are not a child anymore and you may find that more has changed than you think. She has made many mistakes, Riley, but she is still my sister. All I ask is that you give her – and yourself – another chance.” Rebecca’s deep brown eyes were wide and glistening with a deep, tender sorrow that had Riley glancing away.

She sighed and then hissed her frustration into the open water and lashed her fins. She did not want to do this, and when she caught Nero staring at her out the corner of her eye, she could see the sympathy etched onto his features. It was not truly her Aunt Becca who was doing her a favor, but rather the other way around. Her aunt did not know that however, and Riley knew it would take a lot to convince her to part ways with the family group she had never left; even if it was only for a short while.

Riley hissed again. “Fine,” she caved finally. This was her aunt’s price, and she would pay it. Luna deserved that, was worth it. Riley would not go back having failed before she even tried. “I will go, I will greet her, and I will try to maintain patience and not be hostile. But I will not linger to be berated or abused if she has not changed, that is not fair.”

Her Aunt Becca nodded. “That is all I can ask of you, Riley. I will be ready to leave before the sun has climbed to its peak in the day,” she stated.

Riley nodded. She supposed she should get it over with. Iliene would already know she was here – she had been unconscious for two days after all – so there was no point in delaying the inevitable. She turned in the water and lashed her fins to propel herself away from her aunt, uncle, and cousin. As she swam, she had to keep repeating in her head that this was all worth it. Her heart was squeezed into a tiny ball deep in her chest, paining her with every beat at just the thought of being in the presence of her mother.

She pulled an image of Sophie to her mind’s eye and felt a bit better, though not by much. All the joy in the world could not erase the pain her childhood had brought. She shuddered and hugged her arms to her chest, spreading her gliders and slowly flapping them to pull her through the water while allowing her tail to drift. She was stalling, purposefully ambling through the water rather than speeding ahead, but she could not help wanting a bit more time to emotionally prepare.

As she swam, Riley could not help but notice that her pod seemed far sparser than when she had last been here. She supposed that something could have happened – though she hoped not – pods could easily be desecrated by any number of things, from a scarcity of food, sickness or pollution in the water, storms, even predation could take a fair few of their numbers out if they were not careful. They did not tend to have many direct predators, and were high on their food chain, but a hungry shark or whale had been known to prey on smaller or elderly Mer.

She did not get the sense that was what had happened here, however, as there was not an air of devastation hanging over her family, and no one had mentioned anything. Rather, she imagined there had been a split.

It happened from time to time, that larger family groups would cleave in two and go their separate ways. Fighting or resource scarcity could drive them to take up smaller numbers and new dwellings. It would certainly explain why they had come here, and why they no longer migrated. They no longer seemed to have the numbers to safely travel large distances of open waters.

Riley wondered what had caused the divide in her family. Since the group dwelling here seemed so small, she could only assume that the majority had gone with the other group. She just could not quite fathom why or what had happened.

Regardless - due to the smaller numbers - it did not take Riley long to find her mother, though she hesitated to actually descend to the sand and make her presence known.

Iliene had her back to Riley, and her long blonde hair waved in the current. She had woven small strips of flowering seagrass into it, and twisted some of the front locks along the side of her skull to keep it off her face. Her skin, unlike Riley’s deep tan, was creamy like the inside of a shell, though it had darkened a bit. Riley imagined it was due to this reef being shallower than the ones her pod would normally dwell on, so Iliene probably saw more sun now.

Iliene’s scales were a deep magenta shade, that rippled up over her hips and glistened with faint flecks of green and pink all the way down to where her fins split from the tip. They were a softer, more pink shade, and were framed by two smaller fins just above that Riley felt were purely decorative, though her mother claimed she felt they helped with balance. It did not matter, really - no Mer could control the details they were born with - but there always had to be a reason for Iliene, everything had to have a specific use and purpose. Riley did not fit into the purpose Iliene had imagined for her, and that was the root of why they clashed.

Her mother could not accept that Riley was her own person, and Riley resented that she was expected to fall in line simply because it was how Iliene wanted things.

“Are you going to announce yourself, or continue to hover rudely? You never did learn anything I taught you, but I would have thought basic manners would have stuck even in your head.” Iliene’s voice had always been smooth and warm in tone, but it never failed to make Riley cringe like fangs scraping over stone.

Taking a deep breath, Riley flicked her fins and dove down to where her mother was sitting. “I did not wish to disturb you,” she replied evenly, surprising herself at the calm coolness in her speech. She regarded Iliene’s full hands, which were weaving fronds of seaweed and roots into a sack. While Mer did not tend to carry much with them or make use of tools, it was often helpful when hunting for a group to have something to carry the catch or merits of foraging back with. Iliene was always weaving.

However, she sighed and lowered her work to twist her head and regard Riley with a piercing gaze. Riley had her mother’s pale blue eyes, and she never felt wholly comfortable with their resemblance. “Why are you here, Raelyana?”

Riley gritted her teeth and squeezed her forearm with the opposite hand to keep from snapping back a retort. “It is actually still Riley,” she replied.

Iliene shrugged. “You must not be who I thought you were then. Forgive me, but I have not the time for entertaining strangers today.”

Riley sighed and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Does it have to be like this?”

“Why are you here?” Iliene repeated. The huff in her tone sounded tired, and Riley noted the weary slump in her shoulders. Though she tried not to let it, hurt prickled along Riley’s spine at how quickly her mother seemed to have grown tired of the conversation, and of her.

“It would have been impolite not to say ‘hello’,” Riley answered with a shrug.

Iliene nodded but her lips pressed into a scowl and her slender blonde brows dipped together over her eyes. “Very well, now how about the truth?”

Riley’s fins twitched and bubbles jettisoned from her gills as she shook her head and barely contained her frustration. “Because Aunt Becca asked me to,” she admitted with a soft growl.

Iliene threw her head back and chortled in a way that startled Riley. Her mother always pushed for things to be prim and proper, and such behavior was easily considered ill-mannered. “My sister means well, but she should learn not to meddle. Still, I should have known that she was the reason behind this conversation. No, I mean why are you here at all? You were eager enough to leave us back then. I do not remember seeing you so much as hesitate or muster a farewell before you left, and I believe I told you then not to dare returning,” Iliene snarled, baring a set of short, thick fangs. “Was the world too cruel, Raelyana? Are you hoping your family will take you back now that you have realized no one else will ever want you around?”

Riley bit her tongue to keep from snapping back. She wanted to fling the truth in Iliene’s face. She was happy, she was accepted, and she had a family a hundred times the worth Iliene would ever be. But she held it all back. Iliene would merely mock her, and Riley had no desire to share the most cherished truth of her heart to someone who would seek to tear it apart. “Why I am here is nothing to worry yourself over,” she responded icily. “I will be departing again long before dusk approaches.”

“Then go,” Iliene shrugged with a flick of her wrist. “I thought I already made it clear you were not welcome here.”

Riley opened her mouth to reply, but before she got the chance, the current around her shifted and drew her attention. Rebecca had come gliding over the dunes. She had a bright, hopeful gleam in her eyes and she brushed her fingers along Riley’s shoulder as she swam by and settled down on a protruding rock between the two. She glanced at Riley as if to ask how things were going. Riley looked away.

“You should stop trying to orchestrate these things, Rebecca. The gesture is appreciated, but there is nothing to be said that will change how things are. Riley is leaving now anyways,” Iliene decided. Her gaze twisted to meet Riley’s firmly. There was no room for argument in her hardened irises.

Riley shrugged. “I tried,” she told her aunt before pushing up off the sand and turning to leave. Just before departing, however, Riley paused and turned back with a shake of her head. It was quite possibly the last time she would engage with her birth mother, and she still had one unanswered question that burned on her tongue.

“You know what? No. Not yet,” Riley decided. She lifted her chin and met Iliene’s gaze evenly. The older Mer’s brows had dipped down, casting dark shadows over her eyes as she glowered back. “Tell me why, you owe me that much at least.”

“Why, what?” Iliene muttered with an exasperated exhale that sent tiny bubbles spilling up from her gills.

Riley lifted her chin a little higher, but her fluttering gliders betrayed her nerves. Part of her was not so sure she wanted her answer. “Tell me why I was never good enough? Why you could not accept me for who I am, or want me regardless,” she demanded. “What did I do wrong to make you hate me so much?”

She had expected Iliene to scoff, to tell her that she was being ridiculous or immature and everything she had done had been for her own good. Iliene said none of it. Instead, her gaze darkened, and her lips moved with three simple words that stabbed into Riley’s heart. “You were born.”

Riley stiffened and jerked back slightly, shocked into a stunned silence. It confirmed everything she had feared. Her mother did hate her, and clearly had since the moment she was born. Riley shook her head and bared her fangs, hissing loudly. “It is not my fault you got pregnant. Why mate if you did not want a child?”

Iliene shook her head and flicked her fins. “No, Raelyana; you misunderstand. I did want a child, more than anything. I simply did not want you.”

Between them, Rebecca’s gasp echoed through the water. “Iliene!” she scolded. “Surely you do not mean that.”

Riley shook her head. “No, Aunt Becca; it is alright,” she refused with a shake of her head. An icy calm spread through her veins as she stared Iliene down. “I do not need her to want me. I have a family. I found them all on my own. They love me for who I am, unconditionally and entirely. I have a place to belong,” she hissed. “I have a mother. One who wants me and whom I can love in return. I choose her. I do not need you, and I never did.”

There was a moment of immense satisfaction at watching Iliene’s eyes widen. Riley almost convinced herself that she saw sorrow and regret cloud the pale irises of her birth mother, but it was more likely that she imagined it. That satisfaction, however, quickly morphed into a raw, pulsing agony spilling directly from her chest. Riley turned silently and fled before Iliene could see her cry.

Riley had only made it a few tail-lengths out of sight before she sunk to the sand and curled in on herself. She had always known that Iliene saw her as a disappointment - it had always hurt - but the answers she had been given were an entirely new type of agony, one that roiled like a furious beast within. It clawed deep, burning gashes in Riley’s heart and she choked on the salt in the water as she sobbed openly. For the first time in her life, Riley felt incredibly homesick. While she tried not to show her heart too openly - lest it be stabbed again - she knew back home Sophie would require no explanation to hug her and pet her hair and simply hold her until Riley felt safe and loved again. Sophie was the mother Riley needed and wished she had always had, and she longed for her home now.

It was only a little while later that her aunt caught up to her. Rebecca curled up next to Riley in the sand and silently began to rub her back. Desperate for some form of comfort, Riley leaned into the woman. Rebecca’s face was colored with a receding red, and her gills were flaring in short, sharp bursts. When she spoke, it was through clenched teeth. “I am sorry, Riley. Iliene had no right to say those things to you. You do not understand the full story and it is not my place to enlighten you, but she should have been more sensitive. Nothing that has happened with her is your fault, and no matter what she threw at you in her pain, you were always cherished, you understand?”

Riley shook her head. “I do not need her to love me, Aunt Becca.”

“ _I_ love you,” Rebecca corrected. “I always have, and I always will. You are beautiful, Riley, inside and out. Your mother is wrong.”

Riley shook her head. “No, Aunt Becca. My mother is not wrong. My mother is actually very wise and warm and perfect, and she taught me many things about family and love and acceptance, and I think I am ready to go home now.”

Though sadness sparkled in Rebecca’s dark brown gaze, she smiled softly and took Riley’s hand in her own, lacing their fingers together. “Then let us take you home, because I would love to meet her.”


	24. Small Comforts

Katie was coughing again. She was hunched over with one forearm supporting her weight while her other hand covered her mouth. Disheveled strands of matted hair fell in her face, half concealing her from view.

Luna chewed her lip as she watched heaving shudders wrack Katie’s frail form. She had lost a lot of weight again in the last few weeks, and it was beginning to show around her hips and ribs, with the bones becoming sharply defined with each clench of Katie’s body as she coughed.

Reaching out, Luna peeled some of Katie’s hair off her face and tucked it back behind her ear. Then she began to rub Katie’s back, not knowing what else to do. 

It felt like forever before her fit finally abated and Katie slumped back down. “Thanks, Luna,” she rasped, her voice barely above a whisper. “You should go, though. I’m okay.”

Luna shook her head. Sophie was not in the room. Luna had offered to keep an eye on Katie so that Sophie could get some rest too - not that she needed much excuse to stay with her sister - and she did not intend to leave her alone now. 

Her gaze drifted to the long, slender tube that ran along Katie’s left arm and disappeared into her hand beneath a wrap of tape. It was hooked to a bag of clear fluid hanging from a metal stand beside the mattress. Lewis had explained to her that it was an IV bag, and it was helping keep Katie’s body sustained because she was having so much trouble eating. Luna did not fully understand everything, but she knew that Lewis would not want to hurt Katie, so she resisted the urge that told her to tear the tube free of her sister’s hand. That this was not the lab and no one was trying to inflict pain. She knew it logically, but it was hard to stem the tidal wave of painful memories and fear. 

“You should sleep,” she murmured finally. 

Katie forced a grin and rolled her eyes. “Since when did you-” she broke off coughing. “Start taking care of me?”

“We take care of each other,” Luna replied. She flicked her tail and shifted her weight to press her side up against Katie’s. “Sophie says you need to rest to get better. Go to sleep,” she insisted. She twisted again to drape herself over Katie, resting her head and arm down on the older girl’s back. 

Katie sighed softly beneath her. “I can’t sleep, Luna. My coughing keeps waking me up.”

“Try,” Luna pressed. “You always tell me to try, even when my nightmares are very bad. Now you have to try. Please.”

Katie exhaled slowly through her nose and slowly lowered herself down the rest of the way so she was sprawled over the blanket stretched over the bed. The light in the room was already off, but - despite the drapes that had been put up - afternoon sunlight filtered in from the window. Not that either of them required it to see anyways. Once Katie was settled, Luna cautiously shifted to lay her head down as well, half sprawled over her friend to share her warmth. 

She was tired too, and it did not take long for her eyes to start to droop as she began to drift off. 

She was quickly roused from her half-slumber as Katie began to cough again. The choking wracked her body and jostled Luna, who quickly sat up so Katie would be able to breathe easier. She leaned down to help prop Katie up with her shoulder as the older Mer began to wheeze heavily once more. 

Katie was quick to push her away, but Luna knew not to take offense. Desperation was taking over and Katie was half thrashing as she fought to find a way to open her lungs better. Luna lurched towards the edge of the bed and grabbed a bottle of water left on the nightstand. She fumbled with the lid before offering the open bottle to Katie. 

Katie’s hazel eyes glistened with worry coated gratitude as Luna held the bottle up to her lips for her. She continued to hack hoarsely as Luna tilted the bottle, and water sprayed over the sheets and both their scales - Luna wondered if any had managed to actually get down Katie’s throat - but it did seem to help a bit with her coughing. “Thank you,” Katie gasped finally when she found her voice again. Luna nodded and pressed the bottle silently into Katie’s fingers. Katie tipped it back and drained it until the plastic crinkled and crumbled with the last drop. 

When it was emptied, Luna took it back and set it aside. “You do not have to babysit me, Luna.” Katie’s voice sounded dull and airy as she spoke, slumping back down onto the bed as she did. “Go take a swim or do one of your puzzles; don’t stay cooped up in here because of me.”

“I want to be with you,” Luna refused. Katie sighed softly and her eyes slipped closed, but she did not seem to have the strength left to continue arguing. 

Not that their conversation had the chance to continue anyways, as the door swung open on a creaky hinge and Sophie tiptoed through the doorway. She was holding a large cardboard box and a plain gray-green mug was perched atop it with steam wafting from beyond the rim. She stepped up to the bed and set the box down on the nightstand before reaching out to tuck a lock of Katie’s hair behind her ear.

“How are you feeling?” she inquired at a low whisper. When Katie groaned softly, Sophie nodded. “No change then, huh? Katie, do you think you can sit up a bit? We should get you propped up; it should make breathing easier.”

Katie shook her head against the sheets, so Sophie instead busied herself with picking the pillows up and leaning them against the wall. She then slid her hands under Katie, pulling her up by the sockets of her arms despite Katie’s grunted protests. Luna leaned back to stay out of the way as Sophie got Katie rolled over and propped up with her back against the pillows. The woman then picked up the mug and pressed it into Katie’s hands. “I know you don’t really like tea,” Sophie said. “But it’s green, and I mixed it with honey and lemon juice. It won’t taste good, but it might help soothe your throat, so I want you to drink as much as you can, alright?”

Katie dipped her head to take a sip of the steaming fluid, and Luna watched her nose scrunch up at the flavor. It certainly smelled sharp and Luna was glad she was not the one having to consume the drink. Still, despite the clearly unpleasant taste, Katie seemed dutiful in taking a few more gulps. Then she lowered the mug with a shudder and glanced at the box Sophie had brought in. “What’s that?” she rasped.

Sophie smiled and took a seat on the edge of the mattress. She picked the box up and set it down between the three of them before pulling the lid off. “I found this before we moved, stashed at the back of the hall closet. It’s some of your old things; pictures and stuff mostly. From when you were little. I think some of it is as old as when you were two years,” she explained. “I put it in my closet when we got here, but I thought maybe it might be nice to go through. Revisit some old memories; have a way to spend the afternoon.”

Katie started sputtering again, so Sophie took the mug from her and put a hand behind her to rub her back. Luna shuffled her fin and folded it beneath her, not quite sure how else she could help. She desperately wanted Katie to get better, but every day she looked a little paler and grew more frail. She knew that they were all trying to shield her from the truth, but Luna saw the worry in Sophie’s gaze and the terse way Lewis paced around the house. She was not blind, though she desperately wished that the glaring likelihood was not true. 

Shaking off the dark thoughts, she forced a smile and leaned forward. Katie’s fit was beginning to subside and her interest seemed peaked by the box. “You kept stuff from...before?” Katie inquired. 

Sophie nodded and gently pushed Katie’s tail over a bit so she could cross her legs and shift the box into the center of the mattress. “Yes. I figured you might want some of this stuff later; when you were older and had your own home, that you might want to look back. Obviously some things have changed, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still nostalgic.”

Katie smiled softly and nodded. She covered her mouth to cough again, though this time did not devolve into a fit. Sophie was the first to reach into the box, pulling out a long, pink leather book. 

Luna shuffled closer to them and peered over Katie’s tail as Sophie flipped the book open. Inside, there were several images preserved behind a clear sheet on each page of the book. There was a little girl in nearly every photo - a human girl - and her smile in every one was wide and genuine. It made Luna smile too. “Katie, is that you?” she asked. 

Sophie was the one who nodded. “Yes,” she confirmed. “This is Katie when she was a little girl.”

Katie was staring at the pictures too, and she reached out to poke a finger down at one. She looked like she was maybe six or seven in the picture, with her hair woven into separate tendrils on either side of her head. She was with a tall man with red-brown hair that was slick to his skull and stubbled across his chin. He was holding her in his arms and she had a thick white wrap encasing her hand and part of her arm. Luna frowned. She knew what it was. The lab had broken more than one of her bones in the past and she was familiar with the hard shells they used to keep the limb still while it healed. Broken bones were agonizing, but Katie seemed overjoyed in the picture. 

“I remember this,” Katie murmured. “Dad took me to the park and I fell off a swing, didn’t I?”

Sophie shook her head. “No, it was the monkey bars. Michael did warn you to be careful, but you were always headstrong when you were little - though not much has changed - anyways, he brought you here after getting the cast on. You were all dopey with painkillers and couldn’t stop giggling and stumbling all over the place. You hated the cast though. I actually think they needed to replace it twice because you kept jostling your wrist and it needed to be reset.”

Katie had a soft smile on her face as she nodded and flipped the page. Sophie nodded at another picture. “And this was your first birthday party. You threw up cake all over my brand new blouse. I still need to send you the bill for that,” Sophie teased as she bumped Katie’s shoulder. 

“I’ll get right on that,” Katie responded dryly.

Luna kept a smile pressed on her lips, but she could not help feeling a little left out. She was happy to hear of Katie’s childhood - and thrilled her friend was getting to feel joy and relieve pleasant memories - but the dark void in Luna’s head dampened her mood. There was a vast emptiness over her childhood and all of her past. Their nostalgia made her a little jealous; she wished she could remember, or at least that Riley was there to tell her some stories of their youth. Very little of what Katie and Sophie were discussing made sense to her, so she simply felt like she was encroaching on a private conversation. 

To distract herself, she allowed her curiosity to get the better of her and peered into the box. There were more books and a few loose photos, as well as some tiny, colorful pieces of folded fabric and some odds and ends that Luna could not identify. She frowned, however, as something caught her eye and her fingers brushed something soft. Carefully, she closed her fingers around it and gently tugged it free of the box.

It was warm and fluffy, and white. At least, she assumed it was meant to be white. Some of the fluff had darkened to a soft gray with age. When she turned it over, two fake blue eyes stared up at her. There were black stripes crossing over the tiny thing that was small enough to perch in her cupped hands, but big enough that it had taken a fair space within the box. It took her a moment to realize it looked an awful lot like the tigers on her puzzle box. She had not completed that puzzle yet. It was not real, and she did not understand, but she hummed at the pleasant texture as she stroked over its tail. 

“Hey, I remember that!” Katie exclaimed. 

Her comment startled Luna and she jerked her head up to meet her friend’s gaze. She blushed and held the object out. It was Katie’s and she should not have grabbed at it without permission. “I am sorry, here.” 

Katie shook her head. “Don’t be sorry, it’s okay. It’s a plush toy. He was mine when I was little, one of my favorites. I think I called him Stripes, which is not very creative.” 

“What is it for?” Luna asked. She continued to hold the ‘plush toy’ out to Katie, but her sister did not seem inclined to take it.

“It’s a stuffed animal, Luna. A toy. Mostly it’s just to play with, but it tends to be really comforting to hug and cuddle.”

“You carried that tiger almost everywhere when you were young,” Sophie added. “I remember the one time you were spending the night with me, I had to drive to your house to get it; you’d forgotten it and refused to go to sleep without it.” 

“Yeah,” Katie agreed, a fond longing leaking into her tone. “I’d forgotten about him.”

Luna pulled her arm back for a second to re-examine the toy. It was soft. She chewed her lip and decided to try it, pulling it close and squeezing it to her chest with both arms. A warmth spread through Luna and she purred in the back of her throat, squishing it tighter. Silly as it was, the soft squish of the little tiger did make her feel good.

Her blush deepened and she reluctantly pulled it away to hand back to Katie. It still was not hers, and it clearly meant something to Katie. However, instead of accepting the plush, Katie shook her head. “You keep it,” she said. “I haven’t played with him in years. If you like him, keep him,” she offered.

Luna tossed her head. “No, I could not; he is yours.”

“A stuffed toy is meant to be loved, Luna, not sit in a box gathering dust and turning gray. I haven’t so much as thought about him since I was younger than you. I want you to have him.”

Luna opened her mouth to protest, but instead found herself pulling the tiger back for another hug, a soft trill resonating from her lips. She heard both Katie and Sophie chuckling softly, but she did not care.

Luna tucked the tiger toy into the crook of her arm, its little legs splayed over her skin as she hugged it close and beamed at Katie, who smiled back and nodded. There was not always a need for verbal communication. 

Luna closed her eyes and simply enjoyed a moment to just breathe. There had been so much stress and uncertainty - more than usual - lately, and it felt good to enjoy a happy moment and pretend everything else was simply a bad dream.

But as was the way of her life, reality came crashing back in to knock her down and tear the tranquility away. This time, it manifested with Lukshia. Luna recognized her footsteps coming down the hall - she knew how all of them sounded when they walked. It was the first indicator that something was wrong, because her footfalls were fast and heavy, and Lukshia rarely ran. Luna’s suspicions were confirmed heartbeats later when Lukshia appeared in the open doorway. Lukshia was usually very quiet and composed - she intimidated Luna a little despite all the help she had offered already - and it always seemed like nothing could shake her. Now, however, her hands were twitching at her sides and her pupils were heavily dilated. It did not help that she kept shifting her weight as she turned to stare at Sophie. 

“We have to go,” she said. “You’ve got ten minutes before I need you all in the van. Not yours - it’s too obvious - I’ve rented one and it’s parked along the side of the house.”

Sophie frowned. “Go?” she repeated. “What’s going on?”

“Seems like your friends have finally gotten organized after we dealt with their little implant. I’ve been keeping careful surveillance on the street and the waters near the cove, and we’ve got a security breach, one I’d rather not try to bunker through. I’ve got a place for us to go, and I’ve already let Lewis know. He’s leaving your park now and he’s going to meet us on the road.”

Luna could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her blood pumping in her ears in a torrential roar that drowned out Sophie’s next words as she scrambled off the bed. She did not understand everything Lukshia said - she rarely did - but she knew enough to know that their fate was catching up with them, and horror clawed its way up Luna’s throat as if she had swallowed a shrimp alive that was not yet ready to die. She was not ready either.

Luna glanced at Katie, caught sight of her enlarged hazel eyes. Her friend’s wheezing had gotten louder again, and Luna knew it was likely the fear, thick and unbearable. She did not get a chance to ask any questions or say anything before Lukshia was pushing a shirt into her face. 

“Put this on, Luna,” she instructed. Luna hastened to obey and had barely pulled the shirt down before Lukshia was stuffing a large hat on her head and using a blanket to scoop Luna up so her tail was wrapped in it.

Luna’s breath came in shallow puffs as she clung to Lukshia, who was carrying her out of the room and down the hall towards the door. The last time she had been in a van, it had been an exciting trip. This time, she felt nothing but dread. With her eyes stinging and threatening to water, Luna pulled the plush toy she was still holding close and squeezed it hard to her chest. It helped, but it did not prevent her from beginning to shake. She did not want to go back. She knew she would not survive it if she did. 


	25. Doctors and Decisions

Luna curled her tail tighter to her body and squeezed the old plush tiger she was still clinging to. She was not certain she had set it down once in the past couple of days. It was soft and comforting – even if the notion was silly – and it once belonged to Katie, so it helped Luna feel more connected to her sister.

She did not like the new house. It was small and dim, and it made horrible creaking sounds when anyone walked or the wind blew at night, and it only wound Luna’s nerves up more and more.

The panicked car-ride had been incredibly stressful. They had gotten into a different vehicle, and Luna had sat in the middle this time while they had carefully pulled Katie into the back so she could lie down. Sophie had wedged herself back there with her daughter, resting Katie’s head in her lap and trying to help keep her calm enough to breathe properly.

Despite her efforts, the very tense drive had been filled with Katie’s hoarse rasping and coughing. They had driven for a long time, and at one point had pulled into a lot with a strange little building and a bunch of shiny metal things. Sophie had named it a gas station when Luna had asked.

She did not know what that meant, but Sophie had seemed so stressed that she did not bother to inquire further, simply watching as Lukshia had gotten out of the car and slotted a hose into the side of the vehicle. It clanked a little and made a noisy hissing sound, but no one seemed concerned about it, so Luna had merely attempted to sit and remain calm enough not to panic and make the situation worse; though it had been immensely difficult.

While Lukshia was doing that, Lewis had opened the front door on the opposite side and gotten in. He’d looked flustered, with beads of sweat dotting the back of his neck and widened eyes as he twisted to take in the rest of them. He’d spoken briefly to Sophie about Katie’s condition, and then had reached out and taken Luna’s hand to give it a squeeze.

It had not made her feel better, but she had appreciated the kindness in the attempt.

When Lukshia had gotten back in, they had driven for a long time. Despite it being late morning when they left, the sun had been drooping low in the sky by the time they had stopped again. Luna had pressed her lips and not said anything – knowing Lukshia probably knew what she was doing – but some instinct in her had warned her they were going in wide circles and seeming to go nowhere at all. Later, Lukshia had apologized and said something about shaking a tail – whatever that meant – though Luna had wished it had been a shorter trip. It was hot and dry in the car, even with the mechanism that blew cold air, and Katie had wheezed the entire way.

Lukshia had taken them to a small house on a tiny strip of beach. It was walled in on all sides by a sheer cliff with a road they had driven down. Unlike the last house with the short deck into the cove, this had a long dock and the sand shelf dropped out very quickly into dark, deep water. There was a large boat docked out there, and though Lukshia had assured her it was safe, Luna had not felt comfortable going swimming since the first time. The boat made her uncomfortable. It had a large, dark hull and no way up onto it from the water like the last boat, which had been white and open, and far less threatening. This one tugged at the back of Luna’s mind. It reminded her of some fuzzy memories in her past and she could not help avoiding it.

Currently, Sophie, Lewis, and Lukshia were huddled in the tiny kitchen of the small house, discussing what to do next. Luna had wanted to participate, hoping to find some comfort in answers, but Sophie had shooed her out and asked her to stick close to Katie, just in case.

Luna would never object to helping Katie, but the main reason she did not argue was due to the deep creases on Sophie’s brow and the dark circles beneath her eyes. She was stressed, and clearly there was something Luna was not meant to hear, so now she was curled up on the floor beside Katie – who was sprawled atop a few blankets of padding with her bag of fluid still hanging on the stand beside her. She seemed to be asleep for now, but she was almost paler than Luna used to be, and her body shook with every breath she took.

Luna glanced at her now, watching with a cracking heart as Katie’s chest struggled to rise, and the air whistled back out in a tiny puff. They had tried putting her in the water when they got here – to see if it would help Katie breathe more easily – but her gills had oozed a slimy yellow fluid and she had coughed and spit up water until they had brought her back in. It had been terrifying to see.

Her head jerked up and Luna cocked her head, listening, as she heard a door opening and then some voices. Previously, the others had been talking softly so that Luna could hear nothing but the occasional frustrating murmur of muffled sound. Now, however, she could hear Lewis greeting something, and then footsteps echoing down the hall. There was someone new, but also something else, with a strange scampering, scraping sound. Luna tensed despite herself. She knew it was unlikely Lewis would welcome anyone into the house who was not safe, but after all the anxiety of the past few days, Luna was already on the edge of her frayed nerves.

The door to the room they were in swung open and revealed a tall man with thick black sweeps of hair dotted with occasional silver strands. He had black follicles surrounding his mouth and chin, and dark brown eyes that did not seem menacing, but he towered over Luna and she could not help but shrink away.

Her attention was quickly drawn away from him, however, because flanking at his leg, at the end of a long tendril that looked like dried kelp, was an animal.

It stood on four legs and was covered in thick, shaggy fur, with claws scratching on the floor and a tongue lolling from a long maw with sharp rows of teeth. It was patterned with black and white splotches and had dark black eyes that fixated on her.

Luna’s heart was hammering in her chest, and the moment it stepped towards her, her back arched. Her lips parted and she raised the tip of her tail so her fin flared up, and a horrified hiss echoed through the room. She jerked herself back, trying to get closer to Katie. She inhaled sharply, her gaze darting between the stranger and his beast as she braced herself to fight with the thing in order to protect her sick sister.

“Chopstick, down!” the man ordered firmly.

Luna did not know what a chopstick was or if it was simply the animal’s name, but once he spoke, the creature’s rump hit the ground and its fluffy tail began sweeping back and forth.

“Luna,” Katie wheezed behind her, but Luna could not tear her gaze away long enough to glance back. She remained focused on the animal and growled in warning. It cocked its head as though her threat confused it. 

Sophie came hurrying into the room next, drawn by the noise and shouldering her way past the man in the narrow doorway. Her injured shoulder – still wrapped in bandages – was visible past the short sleeve of her shirt and Luna tried not to wince at the damage she had done not long ago. Sophie crouched down in front of her so that Luna’s view of the animal was cut off. She whined and tried to jerk around Sophie, who held up a hand to stop her.

“Luna, it’s okay,” she said. “Just relax. That’s just a dog, honey; it’s not going to hurt you. Just take a deep breath, okay? Calm down.”

Though her breathing was heavy, Luna forced herself to relax more. She lowered her tail and her snarl faltered and faded from her expression as she held Sophie’s gaze.

“Carlos is here to help, Kiddo.” Luna’s gaze drifted up to see Lewis standing behind Sophie. “He’s an old friend of mine and a doctor; a better qualified one. He’s going to try to help Katie.”

“Yes,” the man agreed with a nod. “And then, Lewis, we’re going to have to have a discussion. I let the last one slide and kept quiet because you seemed just as baffled, but what are these creatures and why do you keep ending up mixed up with them? Isn’t that one of the two missing from that American attraction up in Oregon?” He nodded at Luna as he spoke, and she shrunk back again. She was still too riled up and acted on instinct as she hissed at him.

Once again, Luna had Sophie’s hands in her face as the woman blocked her view and hushed her in soft tones. “It’s okay,” she murmured. Then she sighed and rose to her feet. “Yes,” she responded as she turned to face the newcomer. “They both are. But Katie is also my daughter. Her tail is the result of an illegal and brutal genetic experiment, and now she’s very sick, so I would appreciate it if we could make that the priority.”

Carlos was silent for a moment before he nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to come off as insensitive. I’m just concerned about what’s going on here and if it’s going to get any of us into trouble.”

“Not so long as we don’t get caught.”

The way everyone’s attention instantly shifted to Lukshia might have been humorous if Luna was not still so tense.

She was leaned against the wall opposite the doorway in the hall, watching them all. “We’re trying to save two innocent lives, Dr. Seaton. The risk is irrelevant. The only reason we’ve involved you is because none of us have enough of a medical background to have a hope of helping Katie. I think it’s become clear that letting her fight this on her own is no longer a safe option. So the only important question now is: can you help her?”

“I can try,” Carlos agreed. “But there’s virtually nothing we know about their species or their diseases; and if she’s a genetic soup like you say, it just further complicates things. I can’t offer a guarantee.”

“I know.” The words were whispered in a raspy wheeze, and it pulled Luna’s attention back to Katie. She had forgotten her sister was awake; that she had woken her when she hissed.

Sophie leaned over Katie first, tenderly pushing some of her matted hair aside and taking her hand. “Hey, how are you doing Kate?” she inquired. Luna felt the question was pointless, given Katie’s appearance and clear sickness, but she said nothing.

Katie – in response to the question – force a weak, shaky smile. Her lips split, showing her teeth in a lopsided half-grin for a few seconds before her eyes rolled back and she began to sputter.

Sophie reacted instantly, lurching forward to help drag Katie into a sitting position. She rubbed the girl’s back while Katie pressed her hands over her mouth and her body heaved. Her hazel eyes were bulging, and a lump snagged in Luna’s throat as she saw crimson droplets beginning to bleed through Katie’s fingers to drip down onto the blankets. The more Katie coughed, the faster it flowed, and the room burst into chaos.

Luna found herself lurching out of the way as Lewis nearly trampled her tail in his haste to get to Katie, who’s gills were flaring and drooling again. Luna did not blame him for barely noticing her, however, for she was fixated on her sister too.

Carlos came around the other side and knelt down as Katie began to gasp. Her hand fell away, spilling the blood that had pooled in her palm while more drooled from her lips.

“Alright, alright,” Carlos muttered. “Lewis, hold her please, don’t let her tip. Tilt her head back.”

As Lewis was holding her, Katie continued to cough and shake. She shook her head and fussed as Lewis gently craned her head back. “No,” she gasped. “Can’t breathe.”

“Easy,” Carlos soothed. “Just for a minute, open your mouth.” He had been rifling through his bag previously and now pulled out what looked like a long, small spoon, which he pushed back past Katie’s teeth until she began to gag.

Luna whimpered.

“Get her out of here,” came Carlos’s next order.

Luna whined again and shook her head as Sophie’s arms curled around her and she was hauled off the floor. “No,” she begged. “Please let me stay. I need to stay.”

Sophie shook her head. “I’m sorry, Luna,” she refused. “Right now, they need us out of the way so they can help Katie. Come on, now.”

“Chopstick, follow. Out,” Carlos ordered. There was a low barking sound and the dog rose from its reclined position to scramble out of the room after Sophie.

Luna glanced away from it, still feeling a bit nervous around the land animal. She still wanted to protest, her heart drumming in her chest as she replayed the image of Katie in her mind. She could still hear her friend’s gagging cries from the other room and it tore at her very being. She remained limp and allowed Sophie to carry her, however. By the way Sophie was clutching at her, Luna could tell she was having just as hard a time.

Sophie made her way out into the main room of the tiny house. It was open, with a small couch shoved against one wall and a long table in the center of the room, surrounded by chairs. There was a small kitchen area to the side with a small fridge and a stove that smelled sharply whenever someone used it. Luna had watched them use a long handheld object with a flame on the end to start it up before.

Sophie collapsed onto the couch, but she did not loosen her grip, instead continuing to cling tightly to Luna. Feeling the need for comfort too, Luna wrapped her arms around Sophie’s neck and squeezed back. She could feel Sophie trembling against her and when she heard her sniffle, Luna knew it was really bad this time. Sophie always tried to cover her emotions around them.

Luna felt tears burn her eyes and though she tried to blink them away, they only continued to flow. Sophie’s sob was muffled, but her grasp around Luna tightened until Luna felt her bones creak, but she did not complain. They both needed the proximity right now.

After a while, Luna carefully pulled away. Sophie’s hug was comforting, but her grip was tight enough that Luna was beginning to have trouble breathing. She pressed the stuffed tiger she was still holding against Sophie’s torso to offer it to the woman. A broken laugh that ended in a sob was Sophie’s response. She pulled Luna close again and rested her chin on her head. “You’re sweet,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“It is okay,” Luna sniffled back. “Sophie…I am scared for her.”

Sophie squeezed her a little tighter and rubbed her arm. “Me too, sweetheart, me too. But they’re going to do everything they can for her. Katie’s a tough kid, you know that. We’ll get it figured out.”

Luna chewed her lip and did not reply. She knew Katie was determined and probably did not want to die, but hope did not always come easily to Luna, and despite how she hated her heart for it, it was beginning to prepare for the worst, to brace for more pain. She hugged the plush tiger again and leaned deeper into Sophie’s embrace. From down the hall, more of Katie’s muffled sobs could be heard.

Luna whimpered, bowing her head and covering her ears. It was not that she wanted to ignore her sister’s ailments, but she could not stand hearing her pain when there was nothing she could do to help. While Katie had been sick, Luna had never hated their powerful hearing more. It felt like a curse, bombarding her with echoes of agony everywhere she went, still rendered helpless. Luna hated feeling helpless.

Sophie clucked her tongue and began to tangle her fingers in Luna’s hair. They pulled easily through her long tresses, but as Sophie’s nails gently traced over her scalp, Luna relaxed a little, though she kept her hands clapped firmly over her ears. “Would you like to go outside for a bit?” Sophie suggested.

Luna shook her head. She wanted to stay where she was, she wanted to help; if not Katie, then Sophie. She wanted to remain sitting with her. She should not have to endure alone either.

Beside the couch, the dog barked again, startling Luna. She jerked in Sophie’s arms and nearly toppled backwards off the woman’s lap. Sophie chuckled softly – though the sound was still strangled – and moved to pat the animal on the head. “It’s okay, Luna. He’s friendly, you can pet him if you like. Chopstick is a therapy dog. He’s probably over here because he can sense that we’re upset. That’s probably why he tried to go right to you earlier; because you have so much anxiety.”

Luna chewed her lip some more, rolling the flesh until her fangs broke skin and she winced. After taking a breath, she hesitantly reached out a shaky hand and placed it on the dog’s head where Sophie’s had been. The animal’s tongue lolled and his tail began to wag back and forth again.

A shy smile pushed its way onto her features as she carefully stroked him. He was soft, and he did not seem to mind the attention, so she felt a little more comfortable. Though initially the dog had been frightening, it was also that he was a pet that was off-putting. It made Luna uneasy, given her own experiences in life. But Chopstick seemed loved and well cared for and content, so Luna continued to pat him and enjoy the soft fluff along his head and ears.

He tilted his head up and his tongue flicked, wrapping halfway around her bony wrist and covering her in warm slobber.

“Yuck,” she exclaimed, though she was giggling a little as she pulled her hand away. Sophie laughed too, and for a moment, Luna tried to pretend that everything was okay.

That illusion was shattered a few moments later when Lukshia came wandering back down the hall, joined shortly by Lewis. “How is she?” Sophie asked as soon as he appeared.

He sighed and did not reply as he moved into the kitchen area and turned on the water. His hands had been slimed with Katie’s blood and Luna held her breath as she watched him clean his fingers. When he turned the water off, he then twisted to lean against the counter. He raised a hand to wipe some of his dark curls out of his face. “Carlos is in with her now. He’s getting her on oxygen. She’s not going to be able to be off it right now. He’s going to take a little bloodwork and upgrade her IV supplements. She needs to eat though; she can’t live off that.”

“She can’t keep anything down,” Sophie murmured. “We’ve already tried. Even just having a few spoons of soup broth was too rich for her. The only thing she hasn’t thrown back up is water.”

Luna glanced between the three in the room, unsure of what to say or how to contribute. She sat quietly and thought hard if she knew anything that would help. “You could try kelp,” she murmured before she realized that she had even spoken. But it worked, as several gazes quickly trained on her. She hunched low and grabbed a handful of her hair, stroking her fingers through it. “That was what they gave me when…” Luna broke off as her throat closed and she had to force down the lump that was rising. “When I could not eat or keep food down either. Blended up kelp or raw fish mush. Fish is probably too much, that already did not help, but the kelp never bothered me as long as there was not too much. I was never sick like that though.”

Sophie rubbed her back and nodded. “Thank you,” she said, leaning in until her nose was pressing into Luna’s cheek. “I know it isn’t easy for you to talk about the past; we’ll give it a try.”

Luna nodded. “I could get some. I saw some when I went swimming.”

“It’s only a potential short term solution,” Lukshia sighed. “Hopefully the oxygen will help her rest, and Katie does need food, but we still haven’t even isolated the infection. Did you find anything, Lewis? A single thing out of the ordinary that would indicate what is causing this.”

Lewis shook his head. “I looked. I’m not a doctor, but even I should have been able to find something. Her levels of basically everything are low, and continuing to drop, and I’ve given her supplement shots, but they haven’t helped. It’s like she has a parasite that’s taking everything from her body, but there’s no signs or traces of one. I just don’t know enough about Mer biology to do this. No one does really; I just hope Carlos is in a better position to treat her.”

Lukshia hummed in the back of her throat and shifted her weight. She folded her arms over her torso and pursed her lips. “I don’t want to be the one to say it, but there is one option we haven’t considered. There is someone who would probably know enough about her body to help her. It’s a double edged blade to go to the man who did this to her, but we might not have another choice because I can’t think of anyone else who would qualify as a Mer expert, or know a damned thing about genetic transmutation and how it might affect the host body.”

“That’s not an option,” Sophie hissed. “You know damned well what happens if we let him get anywhere near her. I won’t condemn them back to that life. I won’t do it.”

Lukshia paused for a moment and sighed. “At this point, the alternative, Sophie, is she dies.” Her voice was softer, but firm and it was a cruel statement that stabbed at Luna’s heart, and she felt Sophie flinch.

“How do we protect them if we invite him here? How do we know he can help her and prevent him from hauling them both back to America? I don’t want to lose her – I can’t – but there are some fates that are worse and I won’t do it, I won’t risk that,” Sophie’s tone was stern, but Luna could hear how it wavered. Sophie did not want her daughter to die. “Could you guarantee their safety?”

Lukshia shook her head. “No, I couldn’t,” she admitted. “Not then. But I would help you get them back out again if it came down to it. And we wouldn’t let him get both. Katie needs a doctor and he’s the only one that might know something. But Luna doesn’t need to be there. Luna, we can send out into the water. They need a pair, don’t they?”

There was a long pause, and Luna bowed her head, wringing her fingers as it lapsed. She was terrified of the notion of seeing the people of her nightmares, but the idea of Katie dying was so much worse.

She was jostled from her thoughts – quite literally – as Sophie bounced her knee. When she looked up, she found Sophie’s deep green gaze fixed on her. “What do you think?” she asked.

Luna just stared at her, not quite comprehending what she was asking. What did she think? She thought she was terrified.

“This affects you too. What do you think?”

For a moment, Luna could only sit in stunned silence. She had never been asked to contribute to a decision before, especially not a serious one. She did not know what to say. Her eyes closed and she felt hot tears slip from the corners to slide down her cheeks. “My life has been so different since I met Katie. She would probably deny it, but she saved me from so much and I owe her everything,” Luna whispered. “These past couple of moons – since we left that awful place – I have felt like we were simple racing time, that sooner or later fate would catch up with us. I do not wish to die in that place that has stolen so many seasons, so many memories already, and has caused me so much pain. But Katie is worth that risk, and if my freedom is the price I have to pay for her life, I would do so in a heartbeat. I just hate that it means costing her freedom as well. I am no longer enough for them. I would say yes,” Luna decided. “I would take that risk; but you should ask Katie because she deserves to make that choice too. Freedom is a hard thing to lose, especially for eternity.”

The moment she finished speaking, Luna found herself squeezed into a ferocious hug that stole a squeak from her. Sophie only embraced her more tightly. “You deserve your freedom, Luna. Lukshia’s right, if we do this, we’re sending you out into the water first, deep and away from where they can reach you or find you. They can’t do much without a pair and we’d get Katie back if necessary; but I won’t risk you both.”


	26. Hard Truths

Crackling fire burned in Katie’s lungs as her body convulsed. Her coughing had become nothing more than a static whine in her own ears as a haziness descended over her vision and her blood pounded like a roaring drum in her ears. Lewis had a hand on the back of her head and his other palm was pressed flat against her throat and chin to keep her head tilted back. He’d carefully worked his finger and thumb into the sides of her jaw to hold her mouth open while Dr. Seaton pushed a long metal rod down her gullet.

Tears brimmed in Katie’s eyes and she gagged and retched around the instrument. She squirmed weakly despite knowing they were trying to help her, her burning lungs demanding air she was unable to provide.

Finally, Dr. Seaton pulled the medical tool free and Katie felt something thick and stringy come with it. A powerful convulsion ripped Lewis’s grip from her head, and she hunched over again to heave, coughing up bloody globs. She got a look at Dr. Seaton and the large clump of bloodied tissue hanging from the slender spoon gripped between his fingers.

“What is that?” Lewis asked. It was the same question burning on Katie’s tongue, but she was too busy continuing to cough to ask.

“A blood clot,” Dr. Seaton sighed. “She’s obviously got some bleeding in the lungs that’s clotting together and being coughed up. It’s choking her. But I won’t be able to get a good look at what might be bleeding internally while she’s like this. We’ll have to get her on oxygen and sedated so that I can get a scope down to get a better look.”

All the while that he spoke, Katie continued to wheeze and dry heave, and Lewis rubbed her back the entire time. She appreciated the gesture and could not help the spike of concern at Dr. Seaton’s comment about internal bleeding and the scope.

“I have a temporary unit in the car, but I’ll need to get some better equipment from my office to keep her on it for longer. What I have should last the day and night. I’ll be right back. Try to keep her upright and breathing as best she can,” he continued.

Katie was still bowed over and didn’t see him leave, but she did feel the blankets move as Lewis shifted. Then his warm, dark hands were wrapping around her arms and gently drawing her backwards into his lap, where he continued to rub her back.

“Come on, Kiddo,” he murmured. “Hang in there just a little longer.”

“Trying,” Katie spit from grit teeth. She wiped her mouth on her forearm and tried to ignore the red smear that stained her skin for her efforts. Tears pricked in the corners of her eyes as she continued to gasp. Her breathing was shallow and she was starting to feel dizzy, and with it came an overwhelming fear; she didn’t want to die. Especially not like this.

She slumped against Lewis and began to pant.

His arms wrapped around her as he helped keep her propped upright. She felt his hand smooth some of her tangled hair off her face. She really wanted to be able to clean up properly, but she could barely breathe or remain sitting up long enough to even get a bath. The water made her body itch and burn now, and the last time they had tried to get her into the water, she had nearly drowned. Her gills no longer worked.

Katie sputtered again, weakly this time. She could feel the clogging burn in her throat, the constrictive tightness in her chest that demanded she cough and heave up whatever was blocking up her airway, but she no longer had the strength. Her vision doubled as her eyes rolled and her head dipped.

“Oh, Katie,” Lewis sighed. “Kid, you’ve been so brave through all of this, but I need you to find a little more strength to keep fighting, okay? Just a little more. We’re going to get you better.”

Though she didn’t want to die, Katie could not muster the faith to believe his words. Her body was failing and there was nothing she could do about it. Her chest burned and her throat was swollen, and sipping oxygen was like pouring vinegar over an open wound. Her gut was knotted into a tight, tiny ball as it slowly starved itself and refused to accept food. She was missing more scales than she had left, and the exposed skin beneath was yellowed and bruised, and cracked often when she moved. The sheets beneath her were stained with the blood that oozed from them, and the scabs ached.

Lewis was begging her to find some inner strength, but she was pretty sure she’d already spent the last of it, and now couldn’t help contemplating that if she just closed her eyes and slept, the pain would stop.

It was then that heavy footsteps echoed back down the hall and Katie’s consciousness flickered and lit just a little more. She watched – almost in a daze – as Dr. Seaton hurried back in with a face mask, a length of tubing, and a large green metal air tank.

Lukshia followed him in, guiding a portable heart monitor machine through the doorway. Portable felt a bit of a stretch though, as the clunky device on wheels needed to be turned and puzzle pieced into the room.

The doctor moved to her side. He set the air tank down beside the mattress and began hooking the hoses up to it. After a few seconds of fiddling, he leaned over and pressed the breathing mask over her mouth and nose.

There was a soft hissing sound, followed by a sharp spurt of air as he twisted the valve on the tank open. It was still difficult to breathe, but Katie now felt she had better access to her starved lungs than she had previously, and she could not help gulping at it desperately as she attempted to ease the deep burn within her chest.

Lewis rubbed her arm and then lightly squeezed her bicep. “Katie…remember there’s a limited supply right now,” he reminded softly in a tone laced with guilt.

He was right, and Katie took one deep breath in response, then forced herself to take calm, shallow breaths until her heartrate slowed as the tightness in her lungs loosened.

“Is she a diver?” Dr. Seaton whispered the inquiry, but Katie’s sharp hearing caught it easily.

She felt Lewis shift behind her and figured he was probably nodding. “She obviously doesn’t need the gear anymore, but yeah; she logged a lot of hours underwater.”

“Well that’ll help then, if she’s got breath regulation training and control. She’s going to need it. Katie,” Dr. Seaton raised his voice to address her directly. “I’m going to give you a sedative, alright? I need to find the source of your bleeding, and it would only be detrimental to your health and stress levels not to put you under for it. But you have to understand there’s a medium of risk; you are very sick.”

Katie closed her eyes and sighed, trying to ignore the stinging sensation of tears welling behind her lids. She was battered and weak, and wanted the pain to stop; but she did not truly feel ready to die. “I am dying either way,” she rasped finally. “Do what you have to.”

Dr. Seaton nodded and reached into his bag for a syringe and a bottle of clear fluid. Katie tried not to tense at the sight of the needle as he drew some of the sedative into it and held the tip out. If she panicked, her heart rate would increase again and she understood the necessity of conserving the oxygen in the tank.

Her fears were unnecessary, however, as Dr. Seaton merely leaned forward and injected the sedative through the IV catheter that Katie had begun to forget she still had. Her hand had long since been numbed to the sensation of the tiny tube feeding her a saline drip the past few days. She had been preoccupied with the other – more life threatening – priorities.

The moment the sedative had been applied, Dr. Seaton backed off slightly and instead returned his focus to his bag of supplies.

Katie was jostled slightly as Lewis shifted from behind her and carefully guided her back down to lay flat on the mattress. He peered down at her with worry glittering in his dark eyes. “Hang tough, sweetheart,” he begged as he raised a hand to wipe at the side of her lip and cheek. His hand came away coated in fresh blood. Helping to hold her had already coated his hands and arms, but he didn’t seem bothered by it.

She nodded and bit her tongue so she wouldn’t start coughing again, despite the rising need; she didn’t want to worry him further.

She was beginning to feel heavy and sluggish, so she turned her gaze up to the ceiling instead, watching as the world began to distort into a series of swirling colors and muted sounds. It had been days since Katie had gotten anything close to resembling a proper sleep. She was so weary that she welcomed the effect of the sleeping drug, and quickly gave in to the warm embrace of unconsciousness. The rest merely faded away.

***

Katie always felt groggy and disoriented when coming out from under anesthesia, but this time was like being hit by a truck. She groaned softly, then winced as the vocalization brought a tight pressure to her throat. She slowly cracked her eyes open and gazed around. The face mask from earlier was gone, replaced with nasal tubes that stung in her nostrils. She grimaced; she had not missed the uncomfortable sensation. At least she was no longer gasping for air.

She turned her gaze to the side and found Sophie perched on a fold out chair. Her mother was smiling softly down at her, and reached out to brush some hair out of Katie’s face. “Hey hon, finally waking up then?” she murmured. “Don’t try to speak yet. Are you in any pain?”

Katie shook her head and frowned, still feeling disoriented. _Should I be in pain?_

Sophie’s expression remained tender as she slid to her knees off the chair. “I’m just going to help you sit up, alright? Let me know if you feel dizzy at all.”

Katie winced as Sophie slowly helped pull her up until she was leaning against some pillows propped up to the wall. Her vision spun and she felt herself sway, but Sophie’s warm hands lingered on her body, one low on her chest, the other on the far side of her head; helping to hold her up and keep her steady.

“Just breathe, Katie,” Sophie murmured.

When the spell faded, Katie reopened her eyes and carefully shifted her weight. Her frown deepened when she felt something pull. She poked her tongue along the side of her mouth and discovered a thin tube. The area was tender, like it had been stitched to the inside of her cheek, and she winced. It ran deep, and she could hear a soft, irritating buzzing sound humming from it. It felt like there was a bit of suction in her chest. Her hand lifted for a better feel and Sophie caught her wrist.

“Don’t play with that,” she instructed with a firm shake of her head. “I know it’s probably not comfortable, but it’s draining the fluid from your lungs. It needs to stay in.”

Katie dropped her hand with a sigh. She was sick of tubes and needles and medical procedure. Sick of feeling like a living science experiment, one that was now collapsing on itself, with a million wires poked into it as people tried to figure out why. She knew her mother and everyone were only trying to help her, but it was still hard not to feel poked and prodded and scrutinized under a microscope. She was tired of it.

“W-w-hat appened?” she croaked. The hose down her throat made it difficult to speak, but it didn’t hurt too badly so long as she was careful and spoke slowly. It wasn’t ideal, but at least it was manageable and she hoped that it would be removed soon.

Sophie reached out and smoothed back some of Katie’s hair. “Your lungs keep filling with fluid. Blood and mucus mostly. Carlos put the tube in to help drain it; your left lung is the worst offender right now. The only problem is he’s not sure why or where you’re bleeding from. There’s no hemorrhaging and you’ve got no bruising or other signs of internal bleeding. He does think you have a parasite though. He did some extensive bloodwork and it’s what he’s looking for now,” she explained.

“A parasite?” Katie repeated, her words spoken softly and slowly.

Sophie nodded. “Katie…what they did to you in that lab…let’s face it, when they changed you, you became essentially test tube grown. You were kept in an enclosed ecosystem, a sterile environment. They knew exactly what was in your water and your food at all times, and it would have been very carefully regulated. You don’t have an immune system anymore. Not a Mer one, anyways. When you were taken out of that environment into the rest of the world, you were exposed to everything all over again, and Dr. Seaton thinks that because you’re now a genetic mix, you’re susceptible to the diseases and parasites common to both people. You could have picked up something anywhere.

“But Lewis kept giving you supplements and your levels are still dropping, your body isn’t regulating. That’s why they think you have a parasite. They’ve looked already for any cancer signs and you’re clean for that, thank goodness. But Dr. Seaton is still trying to isolate what you might have picked up. In the meantime, he’s given you a lot of powerful antibiotics to help kill the infection you’ve got because of it. We’re only really treating symptoms right now, but that will have to be enough. He did say that some dizziness and disorientation can be side effects of the drugs though, and you look like you’re experiencing both. How do you feel?” Sophie asked.

Katie sighed and brought a hand to her head. “Disoriented,” she agreed. “Breathing is easier.”

“And you haven’t started coughing again,” Sophie agreed. She sighed, a long-winded gush of air as her body slumped with apparent relief. “That’s good, it’s really good. We’re going to get you through this, okay? Do you think you feel up to a little food? You need to eat something.”

Katie shook her head. She was hungry – famished in fact – but her roiling gut was a strong indicator that she was not ready for food, and she was certainly not eager to start throwing up again.

“Later maybe,” Sophie relented. She began to gently rub Katie’s back. “Now might be a good time to get some proper rest, while your coughing is at bay and won’t wake you up.”

Katie shrugged and glanced at the various devices she was hooked up to. “None of this stuff moves, does it?” she inquired ruefully.

Sophie frowned. “It could, if we needed it to. Why?”

“Because I’d really like to wash my hair,” Katie admitted. She was not one for primping, really only showering out of necessity to get the salt off her skin and from her hair after a dive. She kept clean, but that was the extent she cared for. But now, she was coated in blood and sweat, and her hair was matted and grungy, jutting out in jagged pieces in places, and sticking to her scalp and the back of her neck in others. She felt gross and wanted the chance to clean up a bit.

Sophie pursed her lips and understanding blossomed in her gaze. “Well, Carlos got you hooked up to an oxygen concentrator while you were out. It seems to be working just as well as the tank. That’s easily moved, and we can unhook you from the IV bag for a little bit. It’s this I’m not sure about,” she admitted as she gestured to the tube taped back to the side of Katie’s face. Katie turned her head and saw what Sophie was looking at. The tube was short and ran less than two feet away from her head to a cylindrical machine that was whirring softly. There was some blood trickling down the tube into the device. It was small enough that it should be portable, but it was also plugged in, and didn’t look like it could get wet. “I can ask about it,” Sophie decided finally. “But only if you feel up to being moved like that. I completely understand you wanting to freshen up and feel less greasy and germy, but it’s not worth it if you start coughing like you were again.”

Again, Katie shrugged. Talking hurt, so she wanted to do as little of it as possible. She felt tired, and her chest was still tight, still hurt, and the memory of her last attempt to get in the water weighed heavily on her heart, but she desperately wanted the chance to clean up. “Laying in my own sickness isn’t going to help me feel better,” she said finally.

“I suppose not,” Sophie agreed. “Alright, I’ll go talk to Dr. Seaton about it.”

As she watched her mother rise, Katie was struck with a pang of sadness. Sophie looked so weary, so worried, and Katie hated to see her so run down.

She chewed the inside of her cheek – unable to properly close her mouth with the drainage hose down her throat – and knotted her fingers in the blanket below her. She was wrestling again with the need to cough, and her vision was beginning to blur. Katie tried to force both sensations down, however. The solutions that had been put in place were helping, but only slightly. They were keeping the brunt of her fits at bay, but Katie also knew they were incredibly temporary reprieves. She could still feel the weakness creeping up over every inch of her body.

It was moving slowly, cruelly drawing the process out, but slowing it would not save her and she had the strong suspicion she was still going to die, and soon. But she didn’t want to worry Sophie more than necessary, so when her mother came back in, Katie lifted her chin and forced a weak smile so that Sophie would still think that she was feeling a bit better.

Sophie smiled back and cupped Katie’s cheek in her palm as she knelt down. Her thumb stroked over the skin before she pulled away to unhook Katie from the IV bag. She capped off the IV in Katie’s hand and then sat back. “Carlos is going to come unhook you. He thinks it should be fine so long as it’s only for a little bit. Are you feeling well enough for this, Katie?” she pressed.

Katie nodded, trying to ignore the painful pulsing that was surfacing behind her eyes. A wave of dizziness struck her and she swayed with a moan.

“Easy.” Katie was wrapped into an embrace and pulled against her mother. Sophie brushed some of her bangs off her face. “Maybe I should help,” she suggested.

Katie sighed, but nodded. She didn’t want Sophie to have to do more for her or worry even more, but she was questioning her ability to remain sitting upright, much less actually scrub her hair down. “Please,” she rasped at the same moment Dr. Seaton walked back into the room.

He moved silently to the medical machinery and began fiddling with it. His black and white border collie came trotting into the room after him. Its claws clicked on the wood boards as it padded up to her, its shaggy tail wagging all the while.

Katie didn’t remember the dog’s name – though she was sure it had been said at some point – but she reached out to pet it when it walked up. Its tail began to wag faster and it stepped a bit closure, whining a bit as it did. Feeling smacked with another wave of dizziness, Katie hugged the fuzzy creature in hopes of concealing the fact that she was unable to hold herself up without support.

When she next glanced at Sophie’s pained expression, she knew the attempt hadn’t worked. Sophie’s lips parted to say something, but the machine beside Katie beeped loudly and drew both their attentions away from one another. Katie barely smothered a small yelp of surprise as she turned to find Dr. Seaton crouched directly beside her. He raised a hand in a soothing gesture and Katie forced the small prickles of annoyed offense down at the motion. She wasn’t a skittish animal, but he was also only trying to help.

He lifted his hands up by her ear and she forced herself to resist the urge to turn as he fiddled with the tube stitched into her mouth. Obviously, he couldn’t simply remove it, so she wasn’t surprised when he taped the external part to the side of her face, disconnected it from the machine’s hose, and capped it off.

“She shouldn’t be off of this for long,” he warned Sophie. “If fluid builds back up in her lungs, she’ll start coughing again and since I can’t locate the source of the bleeding, I need to simply allow it to heal. Coughing will only jar the impact sight and reopen any sores that may have developed.”

“It won’t be for long,” Sophie agreed. “She should be alright for twenty minutes or so, right?”

Dr. Seaton grunted in agreement.

Katie chewed her lip and quietly thanked him.

He nodded at her and then made a beckoning motion with his wrist as he stood. “Chopstick, come,” he commanded softly.

The dog was quick to jump from Katie’s arms to his master’s side. Katie smiled as she watched it go. Luna had seemed rather frightened when the collie had first come in, and Katie herself had never had the desire to actually have a dog, but she liked them and it was nice to get to interact with one as sweet as Chopstick.

When Sophie crouched beside her next, Katie leaned into her mother’s open armed embrace. “I’m sorry this has all been such a hassle,” she sighed as Sophie lifted her off the ground. The woman said nothing for a moment as she pushed what looked like a book sized portable heater into Katie’s hands. It was connected to the hose feeding into Katie’s nose, and whirring softly, so Katie figured it was the oxygen concentrator that Sophie had mentioned earlier. She held it tightly so that it wouldn’t fall. “I don’t mean to make you worry or have to take care of me like this,” she continued when Sophie didn’t immediately answer.

“I like taking care of you,” Sophie refused. Katie was hugged tighter and her eyes closed as she melted into the warmth of the hold. “The worry is just part of the job. The job I chose to take on, if you recall.”

“I know,” Katie sighed. “But still.”

“But nothing,” Sophie countered as she ferried Katie out of the room and into the next one. The bathroom was small and looked like it had been pulled from the past. Katie had been a little delirious when they’d arrived – and her mental state hadn’t improved much over the few days they’d been in this new location – but she had noticed that the small seaside cabin seemed very low key and off the grid. Even the medical equipment they had set up for her was plugged into a generator, rather than any outlets in the walls. It was predominantly natural light, and there wasn’t very much room.

The bathroom had more of a tin basin than an actual bathtub, and both it and the sink were pump powered. Katie felt guilt prickle in her belly once more as Sophie lowered her into the wash basin and began to work the pump silently. The water came from outside somewhere, and though it still smelled of brine, it had been purified somehow, because it was not true seawater that splashed over Katie’s back as it poured from the tab.

The water was relatively chilly, but Katie didn’t protest. The cabin didn’t really have much in the way of proper air conditioning and so the cool water was a reprieve from the muggy air.

“It feels nice,” Katie hummed. She reached over the rim of the tub to carefully place the converter on the ground so that it wouldn’t get waterlogged.

“Tilt your head back,” Sophie requested. Katie braced her arms on either side of the basin to support herself and leaned back enough that her hair was underneath the pump’s flow.

After a while, the water stopped running and Sophie’s fingers tangled in her hair. She still felt bad that her mother was having to do so much, but Katie couldn’t help the sigh of content that ghosted past her lips; it felt so good just to have her head scrubbed. There were soap suds drifting on the surface of the water, and Katie tenderly rubbed at her tail with her hands. There were massive patches of scales missing, and she made a note to ask for a shirt once she got out of the water. She would have to start covering up again as scales had begun to fall from her chest too.

As she cleaned at her amethyst limb, more scales rubbed off under her fingers and she sighed. It was in such a sorry state that it deeply saddened her. Her fin hung limply, looking pale and lifeless. The edges were beginning to turn gray and it was becoming increasingly difficult to move it like she once had. Even if her gills were working, she probably wouldn’t be able to swim. Despite that, part of her still yearned for the ocean, craved the touch of the water, but she knew the salt would burn her sores and her gills would only choke her now.

“We have to talk,” Sophie said, breaking the small silence that had settled over them.

“What about?” Katie inquired.

She heard Sophie’s low intake of breath as she hesitated. “You’re not going to like it,” her mother began. “And we’ve already talked to Luna-”

“Where is Luna?” Katie interrupted. “Is she alright after everything?”

Sophie was silent for a moment as she dumped some water over Katie’s head to begin rinsing the suds. “She’s with Carlos,” Sophie said finally. “He left momentarily to help me with this, but he’s been working with her for a little over an hour now. He’s running some tests.”

“On Luna?” Katie’s heart rate accelerated at the thought and she gripped the sides of the tub tightly. “Sophie, you have to stop him, you know she can’t handle-”

“Relax,” Sophie soothed. “Luna agreed to it and she knows that she can back out at any time. Carlos is trying to get a better understanding of what’s going wrong with you by comparing it to the scores of a healthy Mer. Luna is an ideal candidate anyways because it’s her DNA that they used. You’re biologically similar. She was happy to help; she’s very worried for you. We all are.”

Katie nodded and forced herself to relax, to not push the issue. “What did you want to talk about?” she asked finally, recalling that she had cut her mother off earlier.

Sophie sighed and Katie felt her hand smoothing down her hair. “We’ve been discussing our next steps. You know Lewis has done everything he can at this point – he’s not a doctor – and Carlos is an exceptional medical professional, but other than managing your cough and breathing issues, he’s worried there’s not much else he can do for you. No one knows enough about Mer biology to isolate what’s causing all of this.” Sophie paused and took another breath. When she spoke again, there was a poorly concealed warble to her tone. “And honestly, I know we’ve all been tiptoeing around it, but it might not even be a Mer disease that you have.”

“I might just be finally falling apart,” Katie concluded. “I know. I wasn’t their first test subject, I’m just the first one who survived.”

Katie forced herself upright so she could turn in the cramped confines of the tub when she heard Sophie sniffle. Her mother’s eyes were glassy and filled with tears she was trying not to shed. Katie chewed her lip and took her mother’s hand. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “It’s not your fault, you know that right? I’ve accepted that there might be nothing more we can do.” It broke Katie’s heart – shattered it into a million tiny fragments – to watch Sophie’s expression cave in with grief and her tears begin to fall. She didn’t want to die, and she especially didn’t want to put her mother through the agony of mourning all over again, but logic was winning out that there really might not be another option.

After a moment, Sophie shook her head. “I’m not ready to give up on you, Katie. You have everything to live for. There is one option we haven’t tried yet…” she broke off in hesitation and Katie waited patiently as she swallowed and clearly tried to compose herself better. “The scientists that did this to you…they’re the only ones that know anything about your transformation…and they may be able to fix whatever is happening now.”

Katie’s heart squeezed. She had wondered if Sophie or the others would reach that conclusion. It was something she had hoped they would never have to discuss. She shook her head. “It’s not an option,” she refused.

“Katie, I know it’s a risky option, a frightening one, but-”

“It’s. Not. An. Option,” Katie repeated firmly. “Mom, you have to know that. It puts everyone in danger. Not just me, not just you, but Luna and Riley and everyone we care about. They can’t know where we are.”

“Katie, listen to me please.” Sophie squeezed her hand and held her gaze firmly. “Luna would have no part in this and has already consented to the risk regardless. I would take you, just you, back to the park or to the house, and make that call. They need both of you and they won’t get to her. Once you’re feeling better, we’ll be able to get you back away from them. You can go with Luna’s family and be safe far from their reach. I’m not saying you can never come back, but we’ll be able to let things die down that way. There is no reason for you to suffer any more for someone else’s crimes.”

There were tears stinging in Katie’s eyes too as she listened to Sophie speak, listened to her plead against fate. Katie chewed her lip and swallowed a whimper. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Sophie, but she knew there wasn’t another choice. She wouldn’t risk the people she loved to save her own hide. “Mom…I know none of this has been easy and you’re trying, and I love you so much. This is the cruelest thing I will ever ask of you, I know,” Katie sighed as she met her mother’s desperate emerald gaze. “But if this is truly our only option; you have to promise not to take it. I can’t take that risk, I won’t. If it comes down to it, you need to let go and let me die. Please,” Katie begged.

Sophie’s lips parted with dismay, but before she could get the chance to answer, Katie twisted on herself and burst into another brutal fit of coughing. She was slammed with another wave of dizziness and her eyes rolled back as dark, angry dots swarmed her vision. She heard Sophie call her name, but her mother’s voice was far away, drowned out by the sharp ringing haze descending over her ears.

It was bad timing, and Katie cursed it, knowing this was far from the way to convince Sophie she had to let go, and she only hoped her mother would make the difficult choice as she lost the battle with her weakness and slumped in the water.


	27. Drifting

Riley flapped her gliders slowly and hugged her arms to her chest. She was not cold – the slow-moving drift current was warm and gentle – but she was still stinging from the exchange with Iliene. She wanted not to care, and knew that regardless of her birth mother’s opinions, she still had a home and a caring family, but the words still stabbed through to the core of Riley’s heart. She thought she had put barriers strong enough to shield her from the pain, but they had turned out to be feeble.

With her heart in such a defeated state, it was hard to muster the motivation even to swim. They were taking a drift current because of Karina, but Riley quietly appreciated that it allowed her a little time to sulk with her feelings without having to put much effort into swimming.

At the thought, she glanced up and over at Karina to check in on her. The pregnant Mer had insisted on coming, but the journey had not been incredibly easy on her as she was carrying extra weight and tired easily.

Aunt Becca had wanted her to stay behind, but she had argued that it did not make much sense for her to remain while the healer who would be helping with her delivery was away. And Nero had wanted to come, and there was no way she was going to be left behind while her mate and adoptive parents journeyed.

Knowing her history, Riley understood the Mer’s reluctance to let her new immediate family out of sight.

Nero and Karina had swum side by side most of the trip so far, and now Nero was rolled on his back with his arms wrapped around his mate. She was sprawled across his torso with her head on his chest and her tail fins flapping lazily through the water while Nero’s fluke did most of the work propelling them forward. Her one arm was wrapped around him while the other cradled her belly to keep her propped enough that the bump would not get crushed between Nero and her own body weight.

The thick, gossamer maternity fins were growing faster now, though they still hung limply from the sides of Karina’s chest. They looked delicate, but Riley knew that the membrane was strong and taut. They would protect the baby after it was born until he or she was old enough to swim on their own. At that point, the fins would shrivel and fall away, but since they grew steadily through the pregnancy, they were usually a good indicator of the timeline. It did not look like Karina would be carrying for too much longer. While that made this trip all the more burdening for her, Riley figured it was probably also a good thing she came along. She knew it was always preferable to birth with a trusted healer around, and she did not imagine that her aunt would have made it back in time if Karina had stayed behind.

Karina’s gaze slid lazily to meet Riley’s. Catching her looking, the pregnant Mer offered her a small smile and then her eyes slipped closed and she nuzzled closer against Nero.

He stroked her hair with one hand and Riley saw his lips move, but they were just far enough away that she could not listen in on their hushed conversation.

Whatever he had said, Karina responded by tilting her head up and kissing him. Riley wrinkled her nose and shook her head and the obnoxiously sweet display.

She glanced away from them, only for a shadow to fall over her and steal her attention. Her uncle fell in silently beside her. At first, his grim expression made her tense. Was something wrong?

Her concerns were abated when he stretched out an arm to wrap around her shoulders. “We had thought you dead,” he said.

Riley frowned, one brow quirking as she regarded her uncle and his curious statement.

“When you left; you were still young. A scrawny, scrappy child who lacked a lick of common sense. All you had was that stubborn determination in your gaze. Becca had faith in you – or perhaps it was a foolish hope at the time – but it was hard to imagine you surviving on your own like that. When you never came back, we assumed the worst,” he continued. “But you never were one to meet the expectations of fools. And Riley?”

She met his gaze as he paused.

“Iliene is a fool.”

Her heart sunk at the mention and shrugged her shoulders.

“Rebecca loves her sister – so I say nothing – but Iliene has wrapped herself in her layers of pain and mistrust and lashes out needlessly at innocents. If it were my choice alone, I would no longer associate. She treated you terribly, drove her own daughter to a life that should have been her death. But you persevered. It seems you always have, and perhaps you always will; but in this, I have faith that you will.”

For the first time in days, Riley cracked something close to a smile. “Thank you, Uncle Ixion,” she murmured.

He hummed in response. “Now, with that said…are you ready to tell us the real reason for this trip?”

Riley cocked her head and frowned at him. “I already told you; I need Aunt Becca’s help.”

Ixion quirked a brow at her and pursed his lips. “You are skilled at many things, Riley, but lying is not one of them. Rebecca and I both know that was a tale you were attempting to tell. We know it is something important to you, else you never would have faced Iliene, but I am concerned with why you do not trust us with the truth,” he stated.

“Yes,” Rebecca agreed. Riley jumped as her aunt spoke. She had not noticed her aunt catch up to flank her other side. “I was willing to believe your words at first, Riley, but if this were a matter as urgent as you were describing, you would have been far more insistent about Karina and Nero staying behind. Karina slows our journey down significantly, but you are not displaying any of the urgency I would expect.” She paused and ran her fingers through some of Riley’s free flowing hair. “I promised I would come – and I will – and I will choose to trust there is a reason you have spoken mistruths, but at least tell me this; is there any risk at all? If you are taking us to a dangerous situation, we need to know. Karina cannot properly flee or fight, and I will not risk her unborn child.”

“I met no trouble on my trip to you,” Riley sighed. “The open ocean will always have its risks, but there is none in my family who would wish you harm. We really do need you, Aunt Becca. You do not have to believe that, but it is true. There is no one else that can help.”

Her aunt sighed and shook her head. “You do not have to defend your reasons, Riley. I merely wish you felt you could trust us with whatever is burdening you.” Her aunt’s eyes glistened with sorrow and it was then that Riley realized what the cycles apart had really done. There was still trust and love, but she no longer knew her family, nor they her. There was a chasm between them now that none of them quite knew how to cross.

Riley reached out and caught her aunt’s wrist as she began to pull ahead. Rebecca’s dark eyes glistened as she glanced back.

“It is not that I do not trust you, Aunt Becca. It is the opposite, in fact. But it is not something I can easily explain. You will have to see to believe; you will understand when we get there. Until then, please just trust me that it will be worth it.”

“So, you do not need a healer?” Ixion countered.

Riley shrugged sheepishly. “No. No, we have a pretty good one. I am sorry for my dishonesty, but I was not so sure what to say. This is something you must see. But it is good, I promise,” she vowed.

“Nero knows?”

Riley twisted her attention back to her aunt and nodded. “Asking you to come as a healer was his idea.”

Rebecca chuckled and shook her head. “Of course it was. Alright, I will relent on you both then. If Nero agrees that it is best I do not know, then I suppose I cannot argue with you both. At least I know he is aware and will not be leading his mate into danger.”

Riley dipped her head in appreciation. “I am sorry for deceiving you. I hope you will understand when the time comes.”

“We can only promise to try,” Uncle Ixion replied. “But it sounds like you have your reasons. I reserve judgement until we learn what they are, however.”

“Fair,” Riley agreed.

“How much further do you estimate the journey to be?”

Riley paused for a moment to think it over, casting out her senses and feeling the powerful thrum of her homing instinct tugging at her. “At this pace? Just under a quarter of a moon,” she responded. It was unavoidable, and she would not ask that Karina push herself or put her baby at risk, but it prickled at Riley to know that they would be delayed a little longer than she had told Sophie to anticipate her back. She knew the woman was prone to worrying.

“Heading the way we are, that is going to take us very close to the continent,” her Aunt Becca mused. “Your reef is safe?”

“Cove, actually,” Riley correct. “And yes. Safe and secluded. We will not be bothered.”

Worry lines creased Aunt Rebecca’s expression and she physically hesitated. “I trust you,” she caved. Then her gaze hardened, and her lips pursed into a thin line. “Riley, it has been a long time. I trust you, but please do not make me regret that.”

Riley nodded. She gripped her aunt’s wrist a little tighter, flipping sideways in the water so she could take her other hand too. “I will not, I promise.”

Her aunt worried at her lip with a fang for a moment before nodding. Her gaze had darkened from the usual coconut skin shade to a near abyssal black. Bubbles were fluttering from her gills and hinted at her internalized worries by indicating the more rapid, shallow breaths she was taking. She swiped a hand up to shove some of her short tresses out of her face, and then forced a half-smile.

Riley grimaced and flicked her fins, pulling her aunt with her. “I know you do not travel much and that I have been gone a long time, but I would never lead you someplace I thought would put you in danger. I know I sometimes seem a little too reckless – and I do chase thrills – but it is one thing to put my own life in danger, and quite another to risk the lives of others; especially those I care about,” she kept her tone firm as she spoke, determined to convey her earnestness.

“You have grown so much,” her aunt murmured. “I am proud of you. You have my faith.”

“Thank you,” Riley replied. She pulled her Aunt Becca into a fierce hug. After a heartbeat of hesitation, her aunt returned the embrace.

When they parted, Rebecca seemed more at ease, so Riley lashed her fins and darted ahead. She was feeling a bit better, and decided to do something with some of her excess energy.

She made her way over to Karina and Nero, still swimming languidly as they embraced. Riley flipped on her back and grasped her cousin by his long dorsal, peeking up over his shoulder to grin with her tongue poked between her fangs as he turned to look at her. Nero’s brows were furrowed and his lips dipped into a frown.

“What do you want, Riley?” he sighed.

Riley felt the response was a little dramatic, but she merely chuckled and gripped harder. “Nothing much; this just seems to be the place to come if you want to catch a ride.”

Nero rolled his eyes and bucked his tail back so that his thick fluke smacked into the butt of her tail. It jarred her enough that she lost her grip and nearly flipped head over tail.

She flared her gliders to balance herself out.

“Swim on your own,” Nero growled with a half-amused scowl.

Riley grinned and caught back up, purposefully flapping her gliders so it would stir his hair into his face. “Nero, you wound me," she gasped cheekily as she stuck her tongue out at him again. “Why are you playing favorites?”

Riley felt a surge of encouragement as she heard Karina attempt to smother a giggle at her comment.

“Because Karina is my mate, and not an annoying pest come back to haunt me from my childhood,” he grumbled.

Riley splayed a hand over her chest scales. “Well that hurts my feelings,” she teased. “And here I thought we were the very best of childhood friends.”

“More like having a sticky barnacle I could not shake,” Nero countered.

Karina clucked her tongue at that point. “Nero, be nice,” she scolded gently.

“Do not take her side!” he protested. Riley’s grin widened as a smile split across Karina’s features and her brown eyes glistened with mischief.

“I am not,” Karina soothed. “But there is hardly much honor in throwing insults at a child who is vying for your attention. Consider her good practice for ours.”

“Hey!” Riley protested. She crossed her arms and scowled at the implications. “I am not a child.”

“Could have fooled me,” Karina replied with a wink. Riley’s lips parted to protest, but she decided to simply let that one go with a shake of her head. Arguing with a pregnant Mer felt a little like arguing with a rock. She would get nowhere and she knew it. But she could not stop the smile from stretching across her lips. She always enjoyed a verbal sparring partner, and Karina seemed much more open to playing than Nero did. Or at least more willing. Riley would drag Nero into it either way.

She watched as Nero ran a hand down Karina’s back. “Lay back down,” he murmured as he pressed his nose into her cheek. “You should rest a little more.” He tangled one hand in her hair and seemed determined to carefully press her back down.

Karina ducked away from his grasp with a soft snort and instead pressed her lips against his for a long moment. Riley rolled her eyes. “I have done plenty of resting,” Karina murmured. “You need not fuss so much, Nero. I get that enough from your mother.”

“You should listen to her more,” Nero encouraged.

“You cannot carry me the entire way,” Karina protested.

“Watch me. I like holding you.”

Karina rolled her eyes and kissed him again, her hand lifting to cup his cheek as she did. “Exactly,” she purred. “I do not want to spoil you too much.”

Riley pressed a hand over her mouth to smother an obnoxious chortle as Karina winked at him and then pushed off his chest. “Besides,” she continued. “Riley and I are going to take a bit of a swim.”

In the next second, Riley found Karina’s side pressed against hers as the woman locked their arms together at the crook of the elbow. “Right, Riley?” she pressed.

“Umm, okay,” Riley agreed cautiously. There was something in Karina’s gaze that made Riley’s scales prickle. She was not sure if Karina was out for mischief or trouble, but suddenly Riley felt like she was about to become a victim of circumstance.

Nero scowled, though he did not truly seem offended. He pressed close to Karina one more time and kissed her cheek. “Just please do not overwork yourself. If you get tired, tell me. I really do not mind carrying you,” he murmured.

“I know,” Karina whispered back. “I promise I will.”

As soon as they were alone – Nero had drifted off to swim beside his parents – Karina patted Riley on the arm. “You let me blather on like a fool the other day. Why did you not say anything?”

Riley frowned before she realized what Karina meant. “You know?” she inquired with a cock of her head.

“There are no secrets between mates, Riley. Perhaps one day you will experience that. Do not fret, I will not breathe a word to Rebecca or Ixion. I understand the predicament you are in. Still, I feel a little foolish now having gone on about it the way I did,” Karina replied.

Riley shook her head. “It is alright. Honestly, had you not, I would have simply told them. I do not think it would have been well received.”

“Probably not,” Karina agreed. “It is a little hard to believe, but also heartwarming. I have come to realize just how much Kera was for this family. The three of them still seem so heavily burdened by her loss. I have shared Nero’s grief though I never knew her, and I am glad that burden will soon be lifted from them.”

“It will not be without trials,” Riley sighed. “She is sweet, but a lot has changed over the cycles.”

“I imagine so,” Karina hummed. “But I am certain that there will still be a lot of joy. Any problems can be overcome in time.”

“I hope so,” Riley agreed. “She has been through too much, and deserves to be happily reunited with her family.”

Karina nodded, but said nothing. Though Riley was keeping her fin strokes gentle and the pace slow, and they had the drift current at their backs, pushing them forward, it was obvious that Karina was quickly beginning to tire again. She had one hand curled around her belly and her gills were flaring wider with every breath. She was still linked with Riley, but Riley was practically towing her now.

She did not want to offend the pregnant Mer – who seemed a little frustrated at everyone’s fussing – but she also did not want Karina overworking herself out of stubbornness and risking the baby. Riley glanced over Karina’s shoulder and managed to make eye contact with Nero. She nodded once and jerked her head subtly towards Karina.

Swiftly and silently, Nero darted back to them. He swam underneath Karina and rolled to embrace her once more. “I am alright,” Karina protested softly.

“I know,” Nero agreed, as he stroked her hair and made no move to remove the arm he had wrapped over her back. “But I was getting lonely. Let me hold you a little while.”

Karina yawned, her jaws parting massively and revealing her ivory fangs. “Alright,” she mumbled as she slumped down against him. “But just for a little while.”

It was not a few heartbeats later that Karina’s eyes slid shut and she seemed to succumb entirely to slumber. Riley smiled softly.

The drift current was coming to an end, and the weakening tug of the water was releasing them. It would be more work for Nero to propel them both, but he said nothing as he began to work his tail a bit more firmly through the water.

Wordlessly, Ixion and Rebecca came to flank his other side, and the five of them kept pace together. It had been a long time since Riley had traveled in a pod, and even longer since she had been a part of a close unit like this, but she found it almost pleasant to be so close to those she could trust.

She closed her eyes for a moment and hummed in the back of her throat. When on her own, she always had to keep her senses alert, but she felt safer in the travelling group and it was nice to be able to let her guard down once in a while.

She perhaps should not have, however, as Nero was preoccupied with Karina and her aunt and uncle did not travel through open waters like this very often. She had the best senses, and the moment she relaxed, hers faltered. So much so that by time she noticed the ship above them, it was too late.

A sharp whistling hum resonated in her ears followed by a sharp popping sound as the rough tendrils of a net smacked against her flesh and squeezed. Riley’s eyes snapped open in surprise as she was thrown into Nero’s side. The trappings drove all of them together, and Riley’s heart thudded in her chest at her aunt’s panicked cry.

There was a reverberating cranking noise as the net was hauled up through the water at a dizzying speed. Riley contorted her body in the strands and – despite the foul taste – locked her fangs around one of the fronds and began to chew. She wanted to slash at it with her spines, but they were pressed too close together for her to take the risk. She might cut into Nero – or worse, Karina – in her efforts. The tendril in front of her face snapped, but they were close enough that she could see the subtle scratches along the metal belly of the ship. They would not get free in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, just wanted to slip a little bit of advertising in at the bottom. Sorry, I promise it won't happen often. But as a reminder, anyone interested in keeping up to date with the early progress of the animation, be sure to check out MerlanticStudios on both instagram and deviantart, or Merlanticllcoff on Twitter to keep up to date. 
> 
> I've left you a bit of a cliffhanger here. Want to find out what happens next faster? Want to read the long anticipated mother-daughter reunion we've been building up to? You can find several additional chapters over on my Patreon for a dollar a month pledge. While it's not necessary in any way, I totally appreciate any support, so if you're interested, feel free to check me out under Fantasy Ocean over on Patreon. 
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> Have a great night everyone.


	28. Belly of the Beast

Riley’s heart pounded in her chest as her ears were filled with a low cranking noise and the occasional panicked sounds from her entangled family. Nero’s tail was pressing her more firmly against the net as he squirmed, causing Riley’s fangs to slip on a tendril and slice her lip instead. She winced and adjusted herself. The net fibers were coated in a waxy substance that tasted foul – perhaps to dissuade chewing on it in the first place – but Riley merely grimaced and pressed on. She knew that her family was working at the same, given the occasional rasping gags they made at the bitter taste. Freedom was worth the temporary discomfort.

Even with their combined efforts, the net still held them fast and Riley felt her heart sinking to the pit of her belly as the cranking noise grew louder and they were brought ever closer to the hull of the ship.

Riley cringed, a soft whimper ripping from her lips as a deafening screech of metal grating on metal bombarded her sensitive ears. She cracked her eyes open again to see that the bottom of the boat had split open in the center, allowing the net to draw them up into the dark belly before the doors slammed shut again with a mighty booming sound that had Riley wincing all over again.

Finally, the net fell slack around them, and Riley squirmed until she could wriggle free of the opening at the top. She twisted and pulled at the net so her aunt and uncle could crawl free next.

“What happened?” Karina half whispered, half whimpered as she pushed her way free of the net next. Nero was not far behind, and he immediately swept her back up into a hug as if to hold her close and protect her from any dangers. It was darker than an abyss in the belly of the boat, but Riley could still see the dim features of her family. Nero’s obsidian eyes were narrowed and darting around, and Karina was curling up close to him with terror glazing her soft brown irises. Her aunt and uncle were gazing around their new surroundings with mixed grimaces.

“We are in a boat,” Riley murmured.

Her aunt was the next to speak, and her voice was grim. “This is no fishing vessel with nets to sweep up fish that caught us on accident. It was waiting for us, how did it know we would be here?”

“This area is supposed to be dead,” Riley agreed. “There are never boats here.”

A prickle of unease climbed up her spine as she looked around some more. There was an eerie silence in the ship – save for the low rumbling of the engine as it moved. She did not know where it was taking them, but she could not help but recall Katie and Luna’s recent past and their fear of those scientists finding them again. Had they somehow found a way to locate Riley too, or perhaps just were looking for random Mer?

It could have been coincidental, but these deep open waters seemed like an odd place to hunt for her people. There were no reefs and no real signs of fish schools in the area. No reason for a pod to linger, except to dwell at darker depths where the boat would never find them.

She wrapped her arms around her torso for a moment, then dove down to press her palm to the flat of the hull. It was solid. Whatever contraption had opened it for them, even their combined strength would have no hope of wrenching it back open to escape.

“Riley?”

She turned as her uncle laid a hand on her shoulder. Ixion’s eyes were full of worry as he regarded her. She shook her head. “We cannot get out the way we came in,” she murmured. She kept her voice low in hopes that the others – especially Karina – would not overhear. She did not wish to stress them out any further than they already were. “We are trapped unless we brave the surface and try to drag ourselves up and over the side. I do not imagine we would make it past the humans controlling the boat, however.”

“Karina could not do it anyways,” Uncle Ixion agreed, his voice equally lowered. The statement was true. It was not safe for Karina to put her weight on her belly right now, and gravity would make it impossible for her to keep off it above the water. “Have you ever been in a situation like this?” her uncle pressed. “We have to get out of here.”

Riley slumped and shook her head. “I have not,” she admitted. “And I do not think we have a way out. Not here, not right now. Our best chance is probably to wait for an opening if they try to move us. They are hardly likely to leave us in the dark gut of their ship. We are useless to them here.”

Her uncle nodded and then turned and darted back to Rebecca. He pulled her into a hug and when Riley squinted, she could see his lips moving. He was whispering to her, and her Aunt Becca’s gaze darkened after a moment.

“Does the water taste sweet to anyone else?” Karina’s meek, terrified voice dragged Riley’s attention away from her aunt and uncle. Karina was still wrapped in Nero’s embrace, and her lips were pursed in a wince as her wide eyes darted wildly.

Riley frowned at the odd inquiry, but quickly realized that there was a strangely sweet taste to the water. It was not pleasant to breathe, being cloying and sticky in her gills. It was as if something were polluting the sea water.

“I do not feel so well,” Karina continued. Riley watched the pregnant Mer’s head dip and her tail fall slack. Her eyes rolled in her head. Nero brought a hand to his head and – when Riley glanced back – her aunt and uncle were beginning to sink in the water.

Terror swept through Riley at the sight. It was quickly followed by a heaviness. Exhaustion crawled through her veins and made her limbs feel numb and her thoughts frazzled. She shook her head, trying to clear the sensation as she realized. They were being drugged. The humans were pumping the water full of chemicals to sedate them – she doubted to actually kill them – likely so they could move them.

“Get to the surface,” she said. “We have to stop breathing the water.”

Rebecca and Ixion did not respond, but Nero nodded and his grip on Karina tightened as he lashed his tail and started to rise with her in his arms. She was already down, slumped against him with her eyes closed. Nero made it about halfway up before he began to sink again, and his head lolled. Riley flicked her own fins, but they no longer wished to cooperate. Her head was spinning, and she was not sure if she was swimming up or down as she began to fall slack in the water’s embrace. Her erratic heartbeat began to slow, and her eyelids drooped as she fell victim to the sedative too.

***

Riley hated the feeling of clawing her way back to consciousness after being sedated. This time was rough. Her head throbbed and spun even though she had not opened her eyes yet. A soft moan ghosted past her lips as she shifted her tail, which still felt heavy and stiff.

Then, all at once her senses snapped to awareness in a jarring way as she remembered the reason for being knocked out this time. It was not Sophie or Lewis taking the pain away or encouraging her to rest; she was not in a safe place. Riley opened her eyes – her muscles tense in case she needed to attack – and she blinked rapidly to clear her vision until the dim, poorly lit room came into focus in dreary shades of metallic grays and whites, and rusted orange.

She was not in the water. Her hair and scales were dry, and she was sprawled out on the scratchy surface of a towel on the floor. They were still in the ship, and she winced as the dull roar of the engine made her headache pound all the harder.

The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She was not alone, and her gaze snapped ahead. There was a chair positioned just out of immediate striking range in front of her, and someone was sitting on it. Immediately, Riley pushed herself up on her arms and curled her tail close so she could launch herself at their abductor if need be. She tried not to show how dizzy she felt and instead curled her lip and growled menacingly.

The woman on the chair glanced up with a quirked brow and an amused grin. Her dark hair was intricately woven atop her head and she leaned forward slightly with her elbows resting on her knees, fists propping her chin up. She gazed at Riley with curiosity and showed no concern over the threat display.

Riley’s gliders opened on instinct as she puffed up. Her growl deepened to a snarl and the spines on her arms flexed.

The woman’s grin only widened. “Hello Riley,” she greeted calmly. It jarred Riley that the woman knew her name, for she had never seen her before, and did not like the prickling sensation of unease that flooded her senses. It was telling her that this woman was predatory, and not to be messed with or underestimated. It set Riley on edge.

“You can relax,” the woman continued. “There’s no need for aggression. I apologize for the rather rude initial treatment, but I knew you wouldn’t trust me right away; certainly not enough to get on board, and I don’t imagine your family would have been too keen on the idea either. I wanted the chance to talk to you without stressing them all out, so I had you all sedated for a bit to get organized. Are you alright?”

Riley’s brows furrowed and her eyes narrowed further. Her snarl did not falter as she glowered at the stranger. The woman was behaving as though they were friends, but Riley held no confidence in someone she did not know. Though as she parted her jaws slightly to drink in the scents of the room and the woman, she did notice something odd. There were lingering scents on her, familiar ones. Katie and Sophie were faint, Lewis a bit stronger. There was no fear scent mixed in, but she found that tended to fade quickly with humans and wondered if Katie even knew how to emotion mark a scent, so it did not tell her much about the woman’s intentions.

The woman sighed and scooted her chair a little closer. Riley growled again, curling into a tighter ball. “My name is Lukshia,” she introduced. “I know you don’t know me, and this is an unorthodox way of meeting, but I’m a friend. I’m just here to help take you back to Sophie. We weren’t sure if your homing sense could find people, or just a home site and you can’t go back to the beach house; it isn’t safe anymore.”

Riley frowned and for a second, her growl faltered in her throat. She still did not totally trust this woman, but she supposed she had better at least hear her out before deciding how to react. It made her suspicious, however. If they were coming to get her, why was Sophie or Lewis not here to confirm that? Why send a stranger when they knew she would not trust them?

“They had to stay behind,” Lukshia continued as if she could hear Riley’s thoughts. “It was safer and easier that way rather than trying to drag Katie and Luna out here too, and we couldn’t leave them alone. The trip back should only take a day or two; you don’t have to trust me completely, but I do need you to bear with me until then, alright?”

Riley shuffled her fins. She did not want to trust Lukshia. If she did and it turned out to be the wrong choice, she could be putting her family in even more danger as well, and she would never do so willingly.

“I do not take the word of a stranger lightly,” she growled finally, her voice soft and low as she spoke. “Can you prove what you say is true?”

“Does it matter if I can’t?” Lukshia countered with a raised brow.

Riley bared her fangs and hissed. She did not care for the implication that she was helpless to stop the woman if she was untrustworthy. It might be true to an extent, but it was still the wrong thing to say to make her case. “It does if you intend to complete the journey uninjured. I am not a pet, and far from tame. I have no aversions to tasting blood to protect myself and those I care about. Sophie and Lewis would not have sent you without some way of assuring your affiliation.”

Lukshia was silent for a moment and pursed her lips as she seemed to mull over the threat. Then she sighed and shook her head, a soft chuckle shaking her shoulders. “I thought they were exaggerating, but you are just as they described. One moment,” she requested.

She pulled out a handheld device. It was black, and looked sort of like the ‘phones’ Sophie and Lewis had, but it was thicker and had a long black rod poking straight out of the top. Riley frowned as she watched. Lukshia raised the device to her face and called Lewis’ name. She paused and there was a strange static noise before she tried again.

After a moment, Lewis’ voice crackled through the device. “Yeah?” he grumbled. “Everything alright?”

“I need you to reassure the wild one,” Lukshia replied.

“The wild one…what? Wait, is that where you went, why you wanted to see the microchip data? I thought you just wanted to make sure it couldn’t be hacked!” he exclaimed. Riley winced at the staticky, graining feedback to his voice. It was definitely him, but the sound grated at her ears and made her want to duck away and dive underwater until the ringing in the hollows of her eardrums stopped.

“I did,” Lukshia soothed. “But this way, it’s one less thing we have to worry about. I didn’t want to risk them going back to the beach house. Everything is fine, Riley just needs some reassurances is all.”

“Alright,” Lewis sighed.

Lukshia leaned forward in her chair and held the strange little device out to Riley. Riley frowned as she eyed it wearily. “You have to take it,” Lukshia encouraged. “Hold the button on the side down when you talk, but you have to release it in order to hear him.”

Riley chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment, then leaned forward to snatch the device quickly and then skootched back as if Lukshia was going to grab her. She shifted her weight and pulled her tail close to her body as she cradled the black box in both hands. After examining it for a moment, she found the large button on the side that Lukshia was referring to, and then pressed it down firmly. “Lewis?” she queried before releasing the button again.

“Hey Kiddo, how are you doing?” Lewis replied.

Riley pressed the button again. It seemed a bit tedious to her, but then, most human things were strange and seemed rather pointless or impractical. “What is going on?” she demanded, ignoring his former question altogether.

“Riley, you can’t go back to the beach house. We’re not there anymore; we had to leave. Lukshia just wants to make sure you get home safely. Did you make it to your pod?”

“Yes,” Riley agreed. She was suddenly thankful that she had, and that the woman and her boat had not tracked her directly to her family group. At least the rest of her pod was safe and their home undisturbed. She would have felt even more terrible if her family had no place left to return to, if or when they got out of this. “You promised me no one would ever see,” she accused. Regardless of whether or not Lewis felt she could trust Lukshia, she felt an incredible breach of trust that they had used the microchip inside her to track her down. The stress alone could have done serious damage; especially to Karina and her unborn child. Riley hated the idea that they were willing to spy on her like that, regardless of the circumstances.

“I know, Riley. I’m sorry. Things have gotten dire with trying to stay out of reach of Lemuria – the people to hurt Katie and Luna – we were worried that you might try to go back to the cove and fall into a trap. Sophie’s necklace was wired, so they could hear everything. They know about you and that you were going to bring your aunt and uncle back. I didn’t know Lukshia was coming out to you, but it would have been the next logical step. We couldn’t risk your safety for the sake of your privacy, you understand that?”

“Yes,” she admitted, though she did not like it. “How do I know I can trust her?”

“She brought Katie and Luna home, Riley. She just wants to help. I know you’re not overly comfortable with strangers, but just this once I need you to keep the peace and come back safely, alright? Your aunt and uncle are with you?”

After a moment of hesitation, Riley nodded before remembering he was not there to see. “Yes,” she confirmed. “But they do not know all the details. They would not have come if I had told them. They are frightened.”

“Then you’ll have to reassure them. Riley, I have to go for now, okay? Are you going to be alright?”

Riley sighed and chewed her lip. She glanced up at Lukshia again and once more, unease prickled down her spine. “I do not like this; I do not trust her,” she admitted into the device. “I trust my instincts, and I do not like the feeling I am getting.”

There was a long moment of silence before sharp static had her wincing again. She brought one hand to rub her ear as she tried to listen as Lewis began to speak again. “Lukshia can be a bit intimidating, Riley, I know. You’re probably sensing that, but she’s done nothing but help us. If you can’t get over that feeling enough to trust her, then trust me,” he pressed. “If anything happened, I would come after you. Not that you really need me; you’ve proven that you can handle yourself in a pinch. Stick with your family and you’ll be home soon, alright?”

“Okay,” she agreed reluctantly. She shuffled her gliders and flexed her spines. She wanted so badly to cave to her instincts and rip into the woman just in case. But she did trust Lewis, who frustrated her and poked at her, but cared and supported her and didn’t taunt her for her flaws. She enjoyed ribbing with him and his company in general. He treated her like a kid, but a capable one. It felt like having a father, something she had never known. And he was asking her to be patient. She did trust him.

As she decided that, she lowered her spines further until they slipped into the pocket of her arm, beneath a fold of skin and out of sight. Her earlier snarl faltered and she forced herself to relax as she reached out to hand the device back.

“Keep it,” Lukshia said with a shake of her head. “You can’t get it wet, but if it will make you feel more comfortable to be able to contact him, keep ahold of it. Just don’t twist any of the other dials or buttons, or it will change the settings and you won’t be able to contact him.”

Riley nodded, then gazed around herself properly. She was in a much smaller room and could no longer see the large pool they had initially been trapped in. “Where is my family?” she inquired with a frown.

Lukshia jerked her head to the door. “Still back in the main chamber of the hull. They should be waking up now too. Do you want me to take you to them?”

Riley shook her head. She would keep a temporary truce for Lewis, but she was not keen on having the woman carry her. “I will do it,” she decided. She lowered herself down onto her front so that her belly was brushing the rough fibers of the towel she was still sprawled on. It was a little slippery, but she decided that it would make an ideal means of sliding more easily over the rough floor of the ship.

Lukshia shrugged her shoulders and stood from her chair, and Riley had to swallow a growl of unease as the woman now towered over her. Lukshia barely seemed to acknowledge her discomfort, however, and waved her wrist in a ‘follow’ gesture.

Riley placed her palms flat on the ground and began the tedious process of hauling herself across the floor. When she finally cleared the threshold of the doorway, she found herself in a much larger space. There were hanging chains and nets and contraptions she did not know the names or purposes of, all of which were swaying slightly as the boat rocked. There was a long perimeter of flooring surrounding the large basin of dark sea water that Riley assumed was where they had been dragged in before. The water was relatively still, but she could pick out the occasional flash of iridescence that indicated one of her family members was awake and pacing.

She glanced at Lukshia who nodded. “I’ll leave you all be for a bit, and come down with something for everyone to eat later, alright?”

“That was would be appreciated,” Riley agreed reluctantly. She would have much rather left to catch her own food and simply followed the boat back, but she knew Karina would not be able to keep pace with it, and did not imagine Lukshia would be inclined to agree.

She waited until the woman disappeared up a flight of metal stairs before dragging herself into the water. It was a little chilly, but she relished the feeling of the water over her dry scales. She always felt better getting back in the water after being up in the air for a while.

Riley had barely sunk completely beneath the skin of the surface when her aunt was there, dragging her forcefully into an embrace that stole the breath from Riley’s chest and pulled an involuntary squeak from her.

“Thank goodness you are alright,” Aunt Becca murmured. “When we woke and you were not here, we feared the worst. Where were you? What happened?”

Riley gently pried herself free of her aunt’s grasp and met her worried gaze evenly. She had no idea what to say to assuage her aunt’s fears. “We will be okay,” she stated finally. “It is best we stay in the water, and be on our guard; but there is no intent to cause us harm.”

“Are you certain?”

Riley’s eyes narrowed and she bared her fangs. “Trust me, if the fragile peace is betrayed, I shall be the first to rend flesh as retribution.”

Rebecca nodded. “Are you going to tell me now what is going on? Why did they take you out of the water? They knew we were here, Riley. How?”

Riley shook her head. “I do not know the human woman who was waiting for me to wake, but I do know some that she associates with. I do not like the situation – it sets my scales on edge – but I have been promised of her good intentions by those I do trust.”

Her aunt’s frown had deepened. “By those you trust,” she echoed. “Riley, having contact with humans is a massive risk. I want to trust you, but you have to be honest with me now,” she begged.

Riley sighed and gestured to her hip. “They saved my life. No healer could have repaired the damage that shattered the bone and gave me this scar. They helped me and offered me a home, Aunt Becca. I found a family on land.”

“You are a pet,” her aunt hissed. “To parade around. Did they send you to collect more?”

Riley shook her head. Her aunt’s words stung and offense prickled along her scales, but she understood where the worry stemmed from. “I am not a pet, Aunt Becca. I am not shown off or put on display or treated like some lesser being. I am free to come and go as I please, my desires are encouraged and my thirst to learn indulged. My opinion matters and I am asked to participate in decisions,” she recounted. She crossed her arms over her chest to rub them and give herself a partial hug. “I did not mean to get mixed up with them, but that control was taken from me when I was injured. Sophie…she took me in and took care of me and I owe her and Lewis my life.

“I had to spend a full moon with them before I was okay enough to consider going back in the water, and in that time…they made me feel loved and wanted, and were more than willing to let me go, while offering a home to come back to if I wanted. At first, I did not imagine taking it, but I grew lonely very quickly. I missed them. It was my choice to go back, to stay. You used to be willing to accept anyone for who they were so long as they intended no harm. Will you judge my family now merely for having feet in place of fins?”

Her aunt twisted her head away and hissed, her fins lashing through the water. “Look around, Riley,” she growled. “We are in a cage with no way out. We are in the dark, in the belly of a ship, after being dragged up in a net and forced into slumber. We are trapped like mackerel in a fisher’s hold awaiting slaughter at the shore, and you ask me not to judge those responsible?”

Riley opened her mouth to protest, but her aunt cut her off, her dark eyes glowing with poorly concealed hurt and anger. “And what of Karina, Riley? The rest of us can fend for ourselves if necessary, but you have penned in a girl who cannot, and you have put her unborn child at risk,” she snarled. “You promised me, Riley, that I would not regret coming.”

She broke off and shook her head. Uncle Ixion had come up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She leaned into him; her distress blatant. “We never should have left our reef,” she decided in a defeated tone that stabbed into Riley’s gut.

She wanted to defend herself, but her aunt had already twisted out of Ixion’s grip and swam off. Her uncle glanced between the two of them and Riley bit her lip. “I am sorry,” she offered to her uncle. “I did not know about the boat and I never intended to make anyone feel unsafe.”

Her uncle frowned and shook his head. He did not say anything and instead merely turned and pursued his mate. Riley slumped in on herself, feeling a burning sadness clawing its way up her throat.

Riley longed to go after them and plead her aunt’s understanding and forgiveness, but she knew that she would not get either without allowing Rebecca the chance to calm down.

She turned away from the direction they had both gone and started, her gliders flaring with alarm. Nero was practically in her face. His dark hair and tail – combined with his grayed skin – made him blend very well in the darkened waters. She had not noticed him approach, but his rage filled gaze and snarl-warped expression almost made her wish he had not. “You said nothing of humans,” he hissed, his inky tail lashing. “Was everything a lie then?”

Riley shook her head. “I spoke no lies to you, Nero,” she countered. She wanted to rage and defend her family and her actions, but she knew it would only make the situation worse. “She did not make it out of a well secured, land-based facility without the aid of those on land, Nero. I would never, ever have brought you, or Karina, if I thought for a moment that anyone was in danger, please understand that.”

“I want to believe that,” he growled. “But I have something more precious than I expect you to understand, and I have to protect that first.”

“I do understand it,” Riley pressed. “And I understand if you cannot believe me or trust me, or if you choose you want nothing more to do with me after this. I have my family, Nero. But there is still a young girl who needs hers.”

Nero sighed and ran his hands through his hair, his fingers curling to yank at the roots. “Nothing is ever simple with you,” he hissed, though this time it was more from defeated acceptance, than anger.

The water shifted as Karina drifted up over to them. She leaned bodily against Nero – her gills working hard – and one hand curled around her enlarged middle. Nero was quick to pull her into his arms and nuzzle the side of her neck. “You need to rest,” he murmured. “The stress is not good for you or the baby.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I just feel better here with you.”

She glanced at Riley, and Riley’s heart squeezed with guilt at the way Karina’s eyes were sunken in with exhaustion and worry.

“It is going to be okay,” she said, though she was not sure how reassuring her words would be. She moved up to Karina’s other side and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You should get some sleep. I will keep an eye on everything else.” She glanced at Nero and nodded. He needed no further prompting to gather his mate properly in his arms and drift down with her to the floor of the basin so she could sprawl out on him. He had one shoulder half turned so that his weight would not completely crush his dorsal. It did not look comfortable, but he made no move to shift or complain as he cuddled Karina and stroked her hair.

Watching them, Riley better understood what it meant for mates to be so protective of one another. She knew Sophie and Lewis would never seek to harm her biological family, but she could not help but chew her lip and fret. She did not like the boat any more than the others did. She took a breath and swam up to breach the surface. She folded her arms on the cold metal deck and stirred her fins through the water. She was tired too; sedatives seemed to have that effect, but she was determined not to sleep. Whether there was something to worry over or not, Riley refused to be caught off-guard. Her aunt and uncle, and her cousin and his mate; they had all taken an enormous risk on a leap of faith for her, and she would do everything she could to keep them safe on the journey, even if things had taken a turn out of her control. She only hoped they would reach home swiftly and safely. This had been too much of an adventure, even for her.


	29. The Day of Reckoning

Sophie wrung her fingers and tapped her foot against the smooth white tiles along the floor. She listened to the steady beeping of the heart monitor, followed by the whirring puffs of the oxygen and life support. The more she listened, the tighter her jaw clenched until her teeth creaked. She bowed her head and chewed her lip in an effort to keep the tears at bay. Her disheveled curls hung in her face, pulling out of the hasty ponytail she’d dragged them up into. Was it a day ago? Two? She no longer remembered.

She glanced up again at Katie’s pale face. Her cheeks looked sunken in, and she seemed so tiny and frail with the large face mask and wires stuck to her. After that first day that Carlos had begun treating her, Katie declined rapidly. They couldn’t keep her cough at bay and her throat swelled up enough that she couldn’t breathe.

Dr. Seaton had put her in an induced coma to keep her stress levels down and she was now fully dependent on the machines surrounding the medical gurney she was stretched out on.

Tears stung in Sophie’s gaze as she reached out a shaky hand and gently brushed some stray hairs off her daughter’s face. She cupped Katie’s limp digits in her own and squeezed them softly. “How did we get here, Katie?” she whispered brokenly.

Sophie had spent several nights sitting in a chair beside a hospital bed just like this one. Katie had more than her fair share of scrapes, broken bones and severe cases of the bends had landed her a few different overnight stays at the hospital. Despite often times assuring her that she was fine, Sophie would never have left Katie’s side then either. But it all felt different this time. Katie wasn’t just staying for observation or in recovery. This was a final desperate gamble.

She had thought she had already shed all the tears she could, and yet another pair leaked from her eyes to trail down her cheeks. When Carlos had first put her into the coma, he had expressed the risks to her. Katie could not survive like this for long. Her body might recover, if they found a cure to her unknown condition in time, but too long in the induced coma – with how frail she already was – and she may never recover mentally. It destroyed Sophie to know her daughter may never wake from the forced slumber, but it broke her heart even more to imagine her hazel eyes opening, but never actually seeing or registering things again.

It had been a hard choice to make, but the alternative would have been to let her die that night, and despite how Katie had previously begged her to let go, Sophie couldn’t bring herself to do that. She couldn’t give up on her daughter, not when Katie was still so young, still had so much to live for. Not when she had promised Michael she would take care of his little girl.

She had made the promise physically to him, one night when Katie was still just a baby. They had gone out to celebrate his birthday and when Roxanne had stepped away to use the washroom, Michael had pulled her aside and insisted that if anything ever happened to him, she needed to be there for Katie. He hadn’t been certain back then that Roxanne would step up to the plate.

At the time, Sophie had brushed it off as him having one too many to drink, but she had promised him and she had meant it when she said it, even though she never imagined she would have to keep the promise.

Later, when Katie came to live with her, she made the promise again. That time, it had been to him in spirit more than anything. She had vowed to herself that Katie would always come first, that she would do everything in her power to ensure Katie’s health, happiness, and general well-being.

That was part of what made it so hard now. Sophie felt backed into a corner about keeping that promise no matter which choice she made. On one hand, if she didn’t act, Katie was going to die. But the other option not only risked Katie’s freedom and happiness, but directly defied a wish Sophie knew was not simply made in delirium.

She was forced to wrestle with the decision, and the dilemma of whether she was making the choice for Katie, or for herself because she wasn’t prepared to lose her daughter a second time.

She glanced around the room once more. She was back at the marine park. Dr. Seaton had come and helped her get Katie set up on life support, but after that she had sent him away. She didn’t want to get him any more tangled up than he already was.

It felt fitting that it would go down here. Katie had grown up here, had felt safe and loved and cared for. Sophie preferred their new beach house home to the tiny apartment because she knew it was what Katie had needed most now, but there was too much nostalgia and too many memories associated with this place to deny that it was still home.

But being here didn’t make the choice any easier for Sophie. She sighed and bowed her head once more as she fingered the burner phone Lukshia had acquired for her. She was alone now; it was just her and Katie, just like how things had started out all those years ago. She had left Luna behind with Lewis and she knew he would keep the little girl safe; she wouldn’t have to suffer if things went wrong. She would have felt better if Lukshia had stayed with them, but the woman expressed needing to deal with something else and Sophie had been in too much of a state to press for details.

As she played with it, the phone’s screen lit up, displaying the date and time against a blank screen. As she stared at it, Sophie’s vision blurred with tears that began to make steady tracks down her cheeks. She sniffled helplessly and dragged her shirtsleeve under her nose. Then her fingers clenched into a fist and she gritted her teeth. It wasn’t allowed to happen like this. Not now, of all times. She couldn’t just sit back and quit on her daughter, no matter what the other risks were. They would deal with the hurdles as they came, like they always had.

She swiped on the screen to unlock it and practically mashed the contacts icon. There were only a few numbers programmed into the phone, and the one she wanted was one she had needed to look up.

Sophie hesitated as she stared at it, but she had already made her choice. Closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath, she pressed call and raised the mobile device to her ear as it began to ring.

There was a click as the call connected, and then a cheery receptionist voice was greeting her on the other end. “Good morning. Lemuria Aquariums, Rachel speaking. How may I help you today?”

Sophie’s voice lodged in her throat and as she tried to speak, only a soft croak escaped. She cleared her throat quickly and apologized. “I need to speak with a Dr. Auldon, please,” she requested.

There was a brief moment of silence before the receptionist replied. “Oh, I’m sorry. Dr. Auldon is currently unavailable. Can I take a message for you?”

Sophie’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t just leave a message. “It’s actually rather urgent,” she pressed. “Do you know when he will be back?”

“Not for a few days, I’m afraid,” the woman responded.

Sophie gritted her teeth again and tried to swallow back a curse. It wouldn’t come across as overly professional. “Do you have another number I could reach him at? Like I said, it’s really rather urgent and can’t wait that long. He’ll want to talk to me.”

“Who is this?” the receptionist queried. She thankfully didn’t sound suspicious. If anything, her sigh was reserved, like she dealt with this a lot.

“Sophie Brooks,” Sophie introduced.

“One moment please.” There was another click and then hold music began to play through the line. Sophie’s fingers tensed around the device as her heart rate increased. Despite having made her choice – it was certainly too late to back out now – she could not help second guessing herself. She could be condemning Katie to a fate easily worse than death, and she was also not certain she was ready to speak to the man who had caused so much pain in the first place.

Her worrying was cut short as the hold music stopped and the line began to ring again. It was an agonizing few seconds before someone picked up the phone once more. For a split second, Sophie was greeting with nothing but a heavy breath of air before the man began to speak. “Miss Brooks,” he greeted. He sounded older – his voice a little on the gruff side – and immediately Sophie began to loathe him. “I must say, this really is a bit of a surprise. I never would have expected you of all people to reach out to me. Are you quite ready to end this little game of hide and seek of ours? It’s been fun, but I really do need be getting our assets back home.”

Sophie’s hands were shaking as she listened to his care-free tone while she was drowning in the sounds of the medical equipment and Katie’s haggard breathing. It wasn’t even her breathing, it was a machine doing it for her. “You bastard,” she choked while more tears stung in her eyes.

“That feels a little uncalled for, Miss Brooks. I understand you’re very passionate about the situation, but you are harboring stolen property. I could be sending all sorts of legal interventions and lawsuits your way, but I feel that we can sort this out like adults without having to take extreme measures,” he chastised. The more he spoke, the more hatred bubbled up in Sophie, festering like an infected wound. She despised his very existence. Everything he had done to Katie was inexcusable, and now he was taking a seat on a high horse like he was the victimized party.

“That stolen property happens to be my daughter,” she hissed through clenched teeth.

“Perhaps once,” Dr. Auldon conceded. “It does beg the question as to the purpose of your call. I would not have expected you to get in contact. All things considered, you’re ahead in our little race, huddled up in some hidey hole for the moment. Why poke your nose out now?”

“She’s sick,” Sophie whispered.

“Who, Katherine? Ah yes, I do believe I remember hearing something about her catching a cold before you wrecked that lovely present of yours. What a shame, really. It was very beautiful and very expensive. Your daughter clearly put a lot of thought and effort into it. That little engraving was really quite sweet too. Very touching and very appropriate. It’s a shame you felt the need to destroy it. But surely that is not the reason you’re calling? I trust you can handle a case of the sniffles.”

As he spoke, Sophie felt her outrage bubble over and she stood abruptly from her chair. It slid back, scraping noisily against the floor. “She’s dying, you heartless bastard,” she snarled.

“Come now, Miss Brooks, that seems a little dramatic all things considered.”

“She’s dying,” Sophie repeated, her voice a terse hiss. She thrust the phone out close to the heart monitor and then pulled it back to her ear. “Do you hear that? She’s on life support. Put in an induced coma, with a machine breathing for her. She’s on IV because she hasn’t kept anything down in over two weeks, she can’t breathe on her own, and she’s lost nearly all of her scales. She deteriorates if we leave her out of the water, but nearly drowns when we put her in it because her gills aren’t working any longer. And no matter how much bloodwork we do, no matter what we try, we can’t even isolate a source!” she was screaming now, tears streaking down her cheeks as she broke off in a sob. “Is that what you want? For her to die? What happens to your precious experiment then? To your little side-show attraction? You know she’s still human, right? Still a girl with a life, with hopes and dreams that you tore to shreds without a second care?”

There was silence on the other end for a moment. “That level of deterioration…there should be no reason for it,” Dr. Auldon mused. “I won’t be able to say for certain without seeing for myself.”

“Hence my call,” Sophie growled. “I can’t move her. If I unplug any of these machines, she dies. You’ll have to come to me, and you’ll have to do it fast. I don’t know how much…how much longer she’s going to last. Her-” Sophie broke off and covered her mouth to smother the pained whine that was building in her throat. “Her heart has stalled once already.”

That had been terrible. The droning siren of the heart monitor as it flatlined would haunt Sophie’s nightmares for years to come, she knew. It was a horrible feeling; standing helplessly off to the side while someone else tried desperately to restart the heartbeat of someone she loved.

“And where are you, Miss Brooks?” Dr. Auldon inquired after another minute of silence.

“At the marine park,” Sophie revealed, though her heart squeezed as she spoke. She ran a hand through her hair to shove it out of her face again. “I’d recommend you come alone; a large entourage would not go unnoticed around here.”

“Well planned,” Dr. Auldon responded dryly.

“She’s my daughter,” Sophie repeated firmly. “No matter what you did to her in that place, you were never going to be able to change that. Did you think I was just going to give in and let you drag her back there?”

“No,” Dr. Auldon agreed. “But that’s a dangerous game to play, Miss Brooks. I represent some very powerful people who are incredibly invested in the safe return of our mermaids. Are you certain you want to get more tangled up in this mess than you already are?”

Sophie grimaced. She had a feeling that was coming, but she would brave the consequences willingly. She would do anything for Katie. “You know where I am, Dr. Auldon, and you know how dire the situation is. I’m prepared to play the game, but I’m done doing it by your rules. It’s your move,” she countered.

Again, there was an infuriating delay before the man spoke again. “I can be there in just over an hour,” he decided finally. After he finished speaking, the line went dead and Sophie was left with nothing more than the dead dial tone before her phone cut the call as well.

She whimpered and then buried her face in her hands. He was already in Australia. He’d come down to personally recollect them and they had clearly only just made it out of the house in time. Genuine terror flooded Sophie’s veins at the knowledge that she might lose Katie to these people all over again.

She glanced at the phone one last time, and at the shining date and time. She had made her choice, nothing could change that now. She’d had to make it. They had taken Katie just after her sixteenth birthday. It was meant to be a special year and instead her daughter had to go through hell, and had to do it virtually alone for a long time. Sophie couldn’t let her die now, not like this. Seventeen had to be a better year, it just had to be.

She glanced at the date again. February twelfth. Her heart cracked. Several years ago, this was the day the brightest light in Sophie’s life came into the world. It had been into another’s arms, but by this point, Sophie could almost convince herself it was her own. She could picture holding Katie as a tiny infant and promising to love and protect her always. She needed to do that now, no matter what.

She rose from her seat and bent over her daughter to press her lips to her warm, fevered forehead. “This is some rotten birthday, sweetheart,” she whispered, feeling her voice crack. “Please be okay. You can’t not celebrate seventeen. You’re only one year off from being an adult. Where did all that time go? I wish you’d stayed little forever, but I’d trade all the wishes in the world for you to open your eyes and get better.” And Sophie knew she would. She would trade anything, everything, in a heartbeat if it meant Katie could live a happy and healthy life, free from the terrors that haunted the past year of her life. “Happy Birthday, Katie.”

Even as she said it, Sophie burst back into tears and heavy sobs.


	30. Just a Little More Patience

Riley was starting to feel very confined by the dark pool of water. It was not quite triggering her claster-thing that Lewis had talked about, but it was still making her scales crawl. It did not help that Karina got more skittish as time passed – cradled against Nero like they were going to be ripped apart at any moment – or that her aunt still refused to speak to her. She caught her uncle glancing at her from time to time, but he had said nothing to her either. It stung, but she could not entirely blame them for their reactions and only hoped that they would understand when the time came.

Lukshia had come down a few times to offer them food, and Riley had been the first to take from each offering as a reassurance to her family that none of it would make them drop. Karina had been eating out of necessity, and Nero picked occasionally at the fish, but her aunt had declined all of it so far. They were hardy as a species, but Riley knew she would have to eat soon or risk growing genuinely weak.

With a sigh, she broke the surface and gazed around the empty room with a sinking heart. After spending cycles essentially on her own, wandering place to place, often for moons without seeing another soul – only occasionally joining up for a small time with other pods or groups for the few turns of the sun and moon that their hospitality would last – she would have thought she would no longer have the capacity to feel loneliness. And yet her heart ached with every beat, every breath she drew into her lungs. She was homesick and desperate to be with those she loved once more.

She scoffed to herself and shook her head to clear it. She needed to focus. It was silly how little time it had taken for her to become almost entirely dependent on Sophie and Lewis and their company. How quickly she found herself drawn to Sophie’s warm embrace and Lewis’ tender teasing, for Katie’s smile and playful, welcoming attitude despite all her struggles. Luna’s sweet nature and hopeful eyes, and her laugh – rarely heard and buried beneath a mountain of insecurities – were all the things Riley considered her home, and she craved them desperately. Missed all of it.

As her eyes wandered, her attention focused in on the small like-a-phone-but-not device that was still perched at the side of the pool where she had left it. She had not touched it since she came back from the other room with Lukshia initially.

Bracing her palms on the edge of the pool, she dragged herself out of the water and over to it. She shook her hands to rid her skin of the worst of the dripping water, and then picked it up. It was still just a chunk of hard plastic, but she knew if she pressed the button and spoke into it, they would be able to hear her.

Lewis had answered the first time, there was no reason why he would not again. Riley leaned back until her back bumped the wall of the boat. She pulled her tail up and her fins slapped noisily on the ground, though Riley barely acknowledged the smarting sting that jolted up through them. She cradled the device and chewed her lip. Maybe talking with her family would make her feel better. Sophie almost always seemed to know what to say, even when Riley had not told her what was wrong. She wanted that now.

But she did not know what time it was. Sure, if she used the not-phone, Sophie or Lewis would probably never complain about talking to her and soothing her loneliness and fears, but she felt guilty at the thought she might wake them up. It was hard to have a sense of day or night trapped down in the bottom of the boat like this. Lukshia had offered to put the lights on, but Riley knew the unnatural brightness would have spooked the other Mer, so she had refused. The dark accompanied them constantly and gave her no hint as to how much time had passed.

She sighed softly.

“What is that?”

Riley’s head jerked up at the new voice. She glanced over to see Karina leaning on the edge of the pool with her arms crossed and her chin resting on them.

“Oh…umm…well, humans have these things called phones – little black devices – that they use to talk to each other over long distances. This is not a phone, but it works the same way, just with a lot of extra noise that makes your ears hurt.”

Karina chuckled softly. “If it hurts your ears, then why to clutch at it as if it were precious to you?”

Riley shook her head and tucked one of her still dripping bangs back behind her ear. “No, it is not,” Riley replied as she bounced the device in her hands a little. “It just…I can use it to talk to some people that I do care about is all. I want to, I just do not think that I should. It is hard to know if it is day or night, and I do not wish to disturb them.”

Karina nodded. “These are your humans, yes? You wish to speak to them, why?”

Riley frowned at the distrusting hitch in Karina’s tone. It made her want to snarl. “You do not know them,” she responded through gritted teeth.

“Peace, Riley,” Karina soothed. “I did not mean offense. I cannot understand your association with the people of the land. I have lost something far too precious to me because of them and one of their large vessels just like this one.” She paused and stretched out a hand to brush Riley’s arm. “But I can understand caring about someone, and about feeling homesick.”

Riley glanced up again. Karina’s gaze had softened to a warm acknowledgement, and the upraised scales framing her head flicked, glistening with water as they did. Riley had not known the other Mer could move them. She forced herself to relax with a sigh. It was unfair to be hard on Karina; who had a reason to hate human beings. While logically the storm had been the culprit of her family’s demise; if the humans had not been out on the water carrying poisonous liquid, it would never have been an issue.

“I respect that. I do hope perhaps you will feel more comfortable around mine once you meet them,” Riley admitted. “They are different.”

Karina shook her head. “Do not think lesser of me, but I would much prefer to keep my distance then to meet them at all when the time comes. I do not ever imagine myself comfortable around humans and I feel safer in the water, where I can flee if need be. Perhaps things would be different, possibly, if I were not with child, but I cannot risk my baby.”

Riley nodded, though her shoulders slumped and her former soft smile wilted. She only wished for the two parts of her family to meet and get to know one another, but she understood – though she did not like it – that there may just be too many differences for that to happen. It was different for Katie and Luna, who were both raised around humans and understood that the family is safe, and she herself was in no position to argue in the beginning and thus got the chance to get to know them properly. Most Mer avoided humans with good reason. Luna’s history was a prime example of why.

“What about you, Nero?” she inquired. Her senses were more alert now and she sensed him hovering just out of her peripheral. She turned to see him dragging himself out of the water beside her.

“I do not know about these humans of yours, but I will admit to being eager over the reason of our journey,” he stated calmly. Though his voice was controlled, Riley could see the twinkling gleam in his eyes.

It caused a wide smile to flow over Riley’s lips and she nodded. “It will be well worth the wait, I promise.”

“It better be, little cousin,” Nero warned. He wrapped a well-toned arm around her neck and dragged her close to rub a fist against the crown of her scalp. “Else I may just skin your scales from your tail.”

Riley yelped in surprise, though it quickly morphed into an amused giggle. Her gliders flapped and her tail lashed as she squirmed out at his grasp and shoved away from him. She huffed and then set about patting her mussed hair back into place.

“It will be,” she vowed.

A content half-smile settled across Nero’s features and he nodded as their playful moment sobered. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed before jerking his head back towards the still water of the darkened pool. “You should go make peace,” he advised.

Instinctively, Riley bristled. She was tired of apologizing when doing nothing wrong, especially when the other had lashed out with hurtful words and painful declarations. A firm look from Nero wilted any of her protests, however. Riley sighed. She knew he was right. It had to be done else her aunt would likely dart off or be in too foul a mood to be receptive to the real reason she was brought here. And that was the last thing Luna’s self-esteem needed.

“Very well,” she caved. She knew she could not truly blame Rebecca for her anger. It was rooted in fear – for herself and others – and a lack of knowledge. Riley was asking her to just accept a lot on an assurance, and she knew it could not be easy for her. “I will see what I can do.”

She bunched the muscles of her tail below her and sprung from the floor over the edge of the pool to plunge into the abyssal waters of the hold. As she swam down, she felt the waters above shift again. Likely Nero rejoining his mate in the water. He had continued to keep Karina close lately.

Riley smiled softly, then shook herself and continued deeper. She discovered her aunt and uncle at the bottom of the pool. They were pressed into the far corner and lying together. Her aunt’s normally brilliant emerald scales looked more like inky waves down her tail in the low light, and the limb was intricately twisted around her uncle’s. His tail was almost impossible to see in the lack of light, the gray-green of his scales disappearing almost entirely in the water, save when it swayed and small patches popped into view before vanishing again. She could not see his fins no matter how she squinted. The dark made good camouflage for her uncle, and it made her wonder if he was perhaps better equipped for the depths.

Riley tenderly brushed the pads of her fingers over her aunt’s arm; not wanting to be jarring as she disturbed her rest, though she knew Aunt Becca was not truly asleep.

Rebecca opened one eye to inspect her and sighed heavily. Bubbles trickled from her gills in a display of exasperation. “What is it?” she grumbled.

“I just want to talk to you,” Riley whispered back.

She flinched as she watched her aunt’s lip curl. “The only thing I wish to hear from you is the truth, Riley. What is the real reason you have dragged us here?”

Riley shook her head and took in water so she could sink and settle on the floor beside them. Her aunt and uncle sat up as she did. Their tails were still intertwined, and Ixion curled an arm around Rebecca’s waist as she leaned back against his chest. Neither looked overly impressed with her, and Riley had to subdue the rising urge to cower like a scolded child.

Riley reached out and took her aunt’s hands, curling her fingers around Rebecca’s and meeting her gaze. Her voice wavered as she spoke. “I understand you are cross with me, and I should have at least mentioned that I was involved with people of land before we left. You can hate me if you wish, you may refuse to speak to me or associate with me again. I will respect that. But before any of that, I need you to have patience just a little longer. I cannot tell you the reason, only assure you it is a positive one,” she explained.

Her aunt only tossed her head in response. “I have no more patience to give, Riley, and no more trust. You have betrayed that. I put too much faith in you, and now we are trapped and even you cannot convince yourself entirely of our safety. I have let you risk my life, the lives of my mate, my child and his mate, and their soon to be parenthood, and for what? Do you not think I at least deserve the reason?”

“You do,” Riley conceded. “But not here, not now; not like this.”

Rebecca growled at her words, but it was her Uncle Ixion that bared his fangs and hissed. “Go. If you will only speak more deceit and words to distort the conversation away from the topic, then go.”

Riley’s eyes were beginning to sting, and she knew that had they been above the water, they likely would have been brimming with tears. She opened her mouth to plead with them and defend herself, but instead it was Nero who came to her rescue.

“Father, mother; enough,” he called as he drifted down through the water. In the lack of light, Nero became merely a hairless, eyeless torso – a dark shadow of a torso at that – and it was slightly unnerving to look at as his darker features blended perfectly with the water. Karina was with him, resting her head on his shoulder while she tightly hugged his one arm. Her fins flowed in the water behind her, still managing to seem sunny and bright despite how they too dulled in the dark.

“If you cannot trust Riley, put your faith in me instead,” Nero continued as he dropped down beside them. “I do not care for her involvement with humans either, but her reason for bringing us is a wonderful thing.”

“Then just tell me what it is.” Rebecca’s voice sounded like a desperate, pleading whine as she begged her son. Her fingers were curling and uncurling repeatedly as she dragged her nails across her scales.

“No, mother; I will not. It is something for you to see and know, something for you to experience in a moment of awe, I will not spoil that for you; for either of you,” he refused as he nodded at his father as well.

“But I–”

“Telling you,” Nero continued as her reached out to cup Rebecca’s cheek, “would only anger and distress you. Trust me, mother. That is all I ask.”

“How can it be a good thing if it will cause us offense?” Ixion demanded.

“It is not the reason that will offend you, Uncle,” Riley spoke up. “Us telling you will.” Riley splayed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes. “We do not have long now,” she reported in a murmur. She bit back on part of the truth as she registered something odd in her senses. She had bonded with both Sophie and Lewis, but while part of her call thrummed deafeningly in her ears – a strong indicator that she was very close to Lewis – the other called her further down the coast. Sophie and Lewis were separated. Not by too much – Riley suspected it would take her half a day at most to traverse between them – but it still bothered her. She shook it off for now. Perhaps Sophie had needed to venture away for something on land, and she would be enlightened when they arrived.

Nero hummed at her statement. “Just a little more patience,” he encouraged.

Rebecca sighed and nodded. “Very well,” she relented. “I will muster a little more, for you.”

Though the words were not spoken to indicate a jab, they still felt like a painful barb digging up under Riley’s scales and she flinched. She could only hope that her aunt and uncle would find it in their hearts to forgive her for the perceived wrongs.

While Nero dipped his head in thanks, Karina reached out to place her hand over Rebecca’s. “We can lose much, even in a single ferocious storm, but that same tempest can also bring us things to cherish. You lost a son, and I gained a mate. And my pod…” Karina broke off as she choked on the words. Sympathy blossomed in Riley’s heart as she watched the mask of composure on Karina’s face deteriorate into crumpled agony. “I never would have met you otherwise,” she continued finally. She flicked her fins and drifted just a little bit closer to the two older Mer until she was cuddled up against them. “You have both been like second parents to me, and I cherish that immensely. Do not be so harsh with Riley. This is an unforeseen storm – and perhaps she should have been more forthcoming on some details – but she needed you both to come and could only do as she thought was best to accomplish that. There is something worth cherishing waiting for you both in calmer waters.”

Before anyone could respond to the touching comment, a shrill whistle broke through the calm from the surface of the water. Riley craned her head, then glanced around at the nervous expressions of the Mer around her. It was obvious that none of them were inclined to answer the loud summons. With a sigh, Riley flicked her fins and darted to the surface. When her head broke the water, she found Lukshia standing at the edge of the pool. Her arms hung loosely from her sides and her thick black hair was pulled into a tight bump coiled up on top of her skull.

“I just wanted to let you know that we’re here,” she stated. “It’s going to take a few more minutes to actually get the boat docked, but once it is, I’ll open the lower doors of the hold for you. No sense hauling you all out and up to the deck when that’s probably a much more natural way for you to leave. Just make sure none of the others are lying on the floor, alright? The doors open slowly, and I don’t want any of you getting your fins pinched.”

Riley dipped her head as excitement bubbled in her chest. It was finally time. She was eager to see her family again, but she was also thrilled at the notion of getting out of the rather stagnant dark pool. “We will be cautious,” she agreed.

Lukshia pursed her lips and nodded once before turning and walking away. There was nothing more that needed to be said, and while the woman still made Riley feel a bit uneasy, she appreciated the rather blunt ‘to the point’ demeanor. It was a strange sort of comfort because it kept interactions to a minimum.

Without wasting another heartbeat, Riley dove back down to inform the others. She prompted them up off the ground and they all hovered in mixed forms of anticipation. Though her excitement made the time seem to crawl by slower than a seastar picking its way over a particularly rocky pile of coral, her patience was eventually rewarded with a loud screech as the doors began to part.

Riley was the first to dive down through the still widening opening. She plunged down into a second, smaller chamber and frowned in confusion before she realized. The others had followed her and looked equally puzzled before she elaborated. “The boat would sink if they just opened the doors to the water. We probably did not notice out of panic when we were brought in. They will close the ones above us to seal the boat off from the water, and then let us out.” She spoke confidently, but unease did prickle along her skin. The explanation made sense; she could only hope that was truly the intent.

Sure enough, after a short while, the doors above began to slowly slide together once more, allowing plenty of time in case one of them had lingered. They were plunged into total darkness – the likes that did not even allow Riley to see her fingers when she waggled them in front of her eyes – as the doors above them sealed with a hiss. Karina broke the silence that followed with a soft whimper of panic, but she seemed to quickly bite it back.

They did not have to wait long, and the darkness was broken by a blinding light that made Riley squint as the panel below them finally slid open next. She got shoved aside as the rest of the Mer dove out for the opening, clearly eager to be free of the risks a boat presented. Riley followed them into the warm afternoon waters, rubbing at her eyes as they adjusted to the light after so long in the gloom.

She gazed around once she did, unfamiliar with the surroundings. The water here was deep – they could easily disappear in a few tail flicks if they needed – but before them was the edge of a much shallower stretch that eventually rose above the water into the beach beyond. A long wooden dock stretched above their heads.

Her former podmates were all staring at her expectantly, and Riley nodded. “Wait here just a moment, okay?” she requested. “I just need to see what is going on and I do want to ensure we are safe. Aunt Becca, Uncle Ixion; I promise you will understand in just a few more heartbeats.”

She did not wait for a response and only hoped that Karina and Nero would help encourage them to stick around if necessary. She turned her attention to the skin of the water and broke through it with a strong lash of her tail. She peered up onto the deck and found Lewis crouched there with a wide grin and warm eyes. Her anxieties melted away as he waggled his fingers at her. “Hey Kid, how was the trip?”

“Long,” Riley groaned.

Lewis nodded. “Sorry if Lukshia gave you all a bit of a scare. I didn’t know she was going to get you, but I’m honestly glad that she did. There’s a lot to fill you in on, but it can wait until after. I think there’s a few people who have waited long enough.”

“Longer than they were really willing to,” Riley agreed. She bit her tongue so she would not demand answers about the worried scent wafting off him. She did want to be filled in on what was going on, but he was right. It could wait.

“Let me go get Luna then,” he decided. “I’ll only be a minute.”

Riley bobbed in the water as she watched him rise and hurry back down the dock and into a small, older looking home. She waited with bated breath, and once she saw the door reopen and confirmed that he was holding her younger cousin, Riley dove back beneath the water. She waved a hand to her companions and a wide, eager grin flowed across her features. “Come on,” she urged with a jerk of her head. “It is time for you all to see.”


	31. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait with this chapter. Work and camping and moving onto residence all compiled into a crazy week that left no time for writing.

Luna worried at her lip, her fin flicking up and back down to tap at the floor over and over as she hovered over a partially completed puzzle. She rolled the piece she was currently holding between her fingers as she mused over where it might go. The puzzle was old, with some of the picture starting to peel away from the edges of the pieces, but it was serving its purpose as a temporary distraction.

She finally made a decision and tested the piece against one edge of the puzzle. It did not fit until she turned it, but the beginnings of a smile pulled at her lips at the satisfaction of having found the correct spot. This puzzle was proving to be an interesting new challenge, as she did not know what it was meant to look like. All the puzzles she had done previously had come in boxes with displays on the front of what the finished product would look like. This puzzle had been in a clear bag, with no indicating picture. Lukshia had dug it up for her out of one of the cabin cupboards several days ago, but Luna had only just brought herself to open the bag and begin this morning.

She had felt too distressed for puzzles, but now desperately wanted to escape her thoughts. She shook her head to bat away the reminders and fished another piece out of the bag to ponder over.

The cabin was silent, save for the occasional eerie creak or groan of the old wood as a midmorning breeze drifting in from the ocean pressed against it. She was alone. She knew Lewis had not gone far, merely stepped out to sit in the sun with his feet in the water at the end of the dock. Initially, she had believed he only sat there when she went out to swim so that there was someone watching over her. She had learned that was not the case; that he would go out regardless. Whether it was simply to enjoy the sun or because he was waiting for something was a mystery to Luna, but she had declined his offer to join him. The water felt wonderful on her scales – especially because the cabin could be stifling in the afternoon, and sooner or later she would probably be driven outdoors by the heat – but it also was easier for her to become trapped by brooding thoughts when she swam alone. It was the cause of her reluctance to slip into the welcoming embrace of the ocean. It had become as much a cage as it had a liberation.

She missed Katie, and it felt wrong to swim without her. Luna sighed and set the piece she was holding aside. It did not yet fit the puzzle. Fishing out another, she studied it calmly, then found its place more quickly than the last few.

Beside her lay a small black device. When Lewis had first given it to her, it looked enough like the remotes that had controlled hers and Katie’s pain collars back at Lemuria, and she had cringed away until Lewis explained to her what it really was.

He never went far or left her alone for very long, but he did not like her being unattended. Short of keeping her in his sights constantly – which Luna appreciated that he was not doing; it made her antsy – it could not be helped. The remote had a single red button on it, and if anything happened to make her feel uncomfortable or threatened, all she had to do was push it and it would alert him.

She kept it with her – though it was sometimes more of a hassle to drag herself around when she also had to hold it loosely in a fist to avoid pressing the button on accident – and glanced at it occasionally as she lay there; just to make herself feel a little more secure that it had not disappeared. She shook herself again. She wished the paranoia would leave her be for a while, but she could not help the insecurities. Katie had always helped stave them off, but she was no longer here to comfort Luna with a smile or some kind words. Luna sniffled and wiped her nose on the bridge of her hand. She missed Katie desperately.

Luna bit her lip – hard – to fight back the tears stinging in her eyes and forced her gaze back down to the puzzle. Lewis would probably be back in soon, and she would feel less alone then.

Taking a breath, she picked up another piece and connected it to another loose one. They did not quite fit into the puzzle yet, but they would in time.

She continued working silently on the puzzle. It felt like a while had passed – she had completed a good chunk of the puzzle that was now beginning to take shape – though she had no idea how long it had actually been. She was interrupted from her task when the door opened, jerking her attention to it.

On instinct, Luna pulled her tail close and sunk low to the floor as a brace; just in case. Her fears eased and she relaxed as the door opened wider and Lewis poked his head in. His shaggy dark hair was slick with sweat, but his gaze was warm and his grin bright. Luna hesitantly returned the smile and waggled her fingers at him as he stepped through the threshold of the doorway.

Lewis walked over – leaving the door open so a warm gust blew through, tossing up some of Luna’s hair and blowing some sand in onto the floor – and crouched down beside her. “How’s the puzzle going?” he inquired.

“Alright,” Luna mumbled as she gazed back over it. She quite enjoyed Lewis’ company normally, but she had been covered by a particularly heavy cloud of gloom since Katie had fallen unconscious and not woken. She had cried a lot. She tried to hide her tears by retreating to a secluded spot, but she knew that everyone else in the house knew when she did. They left her be, and she appreciated that, but it did not make the situation any easier.

She continued to stare at the puzzle she was working on. It had still not been completed enough to know exactly what was, but she knew it had water, the glistening blues and blacks rippling across many of the pieces indicated that. She had been working on several trees with the pieces she had found places for, so it was not the ocean. She had never seen a forest, but she was guessing this puzzle was set in one.

“Feel like coming outside for a bit?” Lewis prompted.

Luna shook her head and drummed her fingers anxiously against the floor. “I will stay in here,” she decided. She loved the water, but she hated swimming alone. The reminders only sickened her now.

Lewis sighed and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. He squeezed gently and Luna resisted the urge to shrug out of the comforting gesture. It was not that she minded; she just hated feeling so helpless and that everyone else felt they needed to console her all the time. “I think you should reconsider. It’s a beautiful day, Luna. Not too hot and the water is relatively calm; you’d enjoy a swim,” he insisted. Luna shrugged her shoulders in response. “Plus, Riley is back.”

Luna’s head shot up and she met his gaze with widened eyes as an all new anxiety ripped through her. She chewed her lip, biting a little too hard and wincing as the sharp tang of blood spread over her tongue. “I-” she broke off and hung her head. She was not ready. It felt too soon.

“It’s okay, Luna,” Lewis assured her. “They’re going to love you and be overjoyed that you’re alright.”

“It feels wrong,” Luna whispered. She desperately wanted Katie here. This felt like something she should be here for, and Luna always felt braver when Katie was with her.

Lewis sighed. “I know, Kiddo. I wish she was here too, but there’s nothing we can do about that right now. Maybe something happy is in order regardless. We could all use a reason to have our spirits lifted, don’t you think?”

“I guess so,” Luna mumbled. She sat up and tucked her fin underneath her as she set down the piece of the puzzle that she had been holding. She picked up the bag and pinched the top, sliding along to seal it up again so more pieces would not fall out. She knew she was stalling. Lewis was staring at her and it was making the back of her neck prickle. “I am scared,” she admitted finally.

Lewis nodded patiently. “I know, hon. And it is scary; it’s been a long time. But you have to go out there, you know that right? They’ve come an awful long way and you’ve waited for this for so long now. Swallow your fears and you’ll see that it’ll work out.”

She knew he was right. Still, she continued to hesitate.

“Or I could send Riley in here,” he suggested next.

Luna shook her head immediately and reluctantly raised her arms towards him. She did not feel ready, but she knew her cousin would be far less gentle about prodding her out. Riley would probably swat at her for making them wait in the first place. “Okay,” she whispered.

“That a girl,” Lewis encouraged. His hands were warm as he gripped her sides carefully and hauled her up off the floor into his arms.

Her tail flopped over the crook of his elbow and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Though it was still bleeding slightly from the last time she chewed at it, she continued to worry at her bottom lip. There was no changing her mind now. She suspected Lewis would not put her down even if she tried to hesitate again.

She bobbed slightly in his grip as he carried her towards the door and stepped through. Luna squinted at the bright sunlight – having been sitting with the curtains drawn to make the house dark – and blinked a few times until her eyes adjusted. She peered out down the dock and saw Riley bobbing in the water.

The other girl was watching for them too, because when she saw them, she raised an arm and waved it. Just as quickly though, she dove beneath the water and Luna’s heart seized. She choked slightly until it seemed to remember how to beat, and then it leaped into overdrive, pounding at her chest like a caged animal desperate to escape the bony bars holding it in.

Her grip on Lewis tightened and he chuckled softly. “It’s alright,” he reminded her. His footfalls turned from a near silent crunch to an echoing clomp as he hit the wood boards that made up the long dock.

On one side, the large ship that had been missing for a few days had pulled back in, and she could see a few people scrambling around on the deck trying to get it secured into place. She paid it little mind, however.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and she pressed her cheek to Lewis’ shoulder as she slumped low in his grip.

Riley reappeared above the skin of the water with a gleaming smile on her face. The water rippled on either side of her as two more Mer surfaced. The first was a man with grayish skin and dark brown hair. He had deep set eyes and brows that dipped forward into a weary frown. On Riley’s other side, a woman with coconut shaded hair slashed short around her shoulders surfaced and shook water droplets from her eyes. Her skin was paler than the male’s, and her eyes matched her dripping locks. Rippling rows of vibrant emerald scales glistened just beneath the water across her chest.

Luna’s heart squeezed again as Lewis approached the end of the dock. The faces were not familiar to her – and the realization fractured her inside, for that was all she wanted; to remember – but the gleam of the woman’s scales did spark recognition in her mind, however small.

The woman sighed softly next to Riley, but when she spoke, her voice was in a higher lilt than Luna was used to and it took her a moment to realize that she wasn’t speaking English. It was a strange notion to Luna, who had heard nothing but for so long now. “Alright Riley, enough now. What is it that you wanted us to see…Oh,” the woman broke off and raised a hand to cover her lips. Since they had both surfaced slightly behind Riley, she swayed slightly in the water and leaned against the other Mer. “Ixion,” she breathed. Her words confirmed that he was Luna’s father, and she had to fight to keep the stinging tears welling in her eyes from falling.

Lewis had now reached the end of the dock and was carefully lowering Luna down onto the wooden planks. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she bit her lip to resist the urge to twist into Lewis and beg him to take her back inside. She wanted this desperately, but she was terrified of how they would react to her lack of memories, her trauma, and her identity.

Her mother’s name was Rebecca, she reminded herself softly. Rebecca eyed Lewis warily and then shook her head as though the risk did not matter. She pressed her hands flat against the dock and – with rather impressive strength – boosted herself up onto the high deck in a single fluid motion before Lewis had even finished setting Luna down.

The Mer’s eyes sparkled as she stared into Luna’s face. Luna shuffled her fin nervously, but she found she could not look away. She was not sure how she looked, but some of her anxieties must have shown because Rebecca’s expression softened, and she reached out to tenderly cup Luna’s cheek.

The tears Luna had been fighting back finally began to spill free and slide down her cheeks as she leaned into the soft touch of her mother’s gentle hands. This felt vaguely familiar too.

“Kera,” Rebecca whispered. She lurched forward and wrapped her arms around Luna, dragging her closer into a desperate hug. “My poor little girl, all this time. I am so sorry. I would have come for you long ago if I had known.” There was a choking crack in her voice, and a similar knot of emotion was rising to clog Luna’s throat as well.

Hesitantly, Luna raised her arms and hugged her mother back. She shook her head. “You could not have known,” she murmured back. She felt her mother stiffen as she spoke in English, and Luna cringed. She hoped this would not upset her parents too much. It was the language she was most comfortable with now. “I…I am sorry too…I barely remember you; I do not remember a lot. These,” she paused to lightly touch where her mother’s chest scales started across her collarbone. “But nothing else. Only what Riley has told me.”

Rebecca nodded, and though her gaze was watery and filled with sorrow, her smile was gentle and wide. “It is alright,” she replied. Her words were slightly shaky, but Luna’s heart swelled that her mother switched to a rough English to match her comfort zone. She was not cross about it. “I cannot expect your memory to be intact after so long. There will be plenty of time to learn and remember and reconnect. I am only glad that you are alive.”

Her arms squeezed Luna tighter until the young Mer felt her bones creak. Her mother’s hugs were warm, but much more rigid than Sophie’s or Katie’s, or even Lewis’ burly bear hugs. But Luna did not mind. She hummed in content and nuzzled closer.

“Luna?” Luna twisted in her mother’s embrace as Lewis called her softly. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but Lukshia has to secure the boat properly. It’s going to get quite noisy and is probably going to stir up the water a bit. Maybe we should take this over to the shore?” he suggested.

Before Luna could respond, she felt her mother tense further, and a low growl began to rumble in her chest. “Her name is Kera,” she snapped in a low tone with such venom that even Luna wanted to recoil. “How dare you sit there and talk as if you know her, know any of us, or have any right to consider yourself a friend when you have kept her away from her family for so long. She is not a pet for your amusement.”

Luna whimpered softly as Lewis made to reply and was cut off by a sharp hiss. Rebecca pulled her closer and shifted as though she meant to dive from the deck and drag Luna with her.

“Aunt Becca,” Riley tried to pipe up next, but Rebecca did not seem to be listening as she continued to glower at a rather intimidated looking Lewis. Her fangs were bared, lips warped into an impressive snarl.

Though her heart was pounding in her chest, Luna knew that she needed to be the one to stand up for Lewis, and to tell her mother the truth – even though it terrified her – it was not fair to continue allowing others to fight her battles for her. “No,” she protested quietly as she placed a hand on her mother’s arm. Rebecca’s growl faltered for a moment and her stormy brown eyes fixated on Luna, who shrunk away at first. After a breath she straightened up again and shook her head. “Lewis has done me no wrongs. He has helped me so much. This family has done so much for me; offered me love and protection and comfort. They have never sought to keep me away from the ocean, and they did not take me from it,” she protested gently as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. “Please do not show Lewis anger and mistrust; he has done nothing ill to deserve it. I would still be a captive in a tank with no hope of ever seeing the open water if good people had not intervened. These are good people.”

Rebecca regarded her calmly for a moment and then, after closing her eyes and taking a breath, she seemed to relax and the tension left her. “You have grown,” she murmured sadly. Her gaze refixated on Lewis. “I apologize for my aggression. This journey has not been easy, and our two peoples’ have never interacted well; the situation has frayed at our nerves.”

Lewis waved a hand and shrugged. “It’s alright. I can understand all of that and there’s no harm done. Lewis, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet you; well anticipated.”

Luna’s mother hummed in agreement. “Rebecca,” she responded in kind. “And this is Ixion, my mate. Below, my son – Nero – and his mate – Karina – have travelled with us.”

“You’re all welcome as long as you like,” Lewis responded warmly.

“Nero,” Luna repeated the name and twisted to glance at Riley, who was lounging calmly on the dock with her fins trailing in the water. “But you said…”

Riley shrugged and her grin widened. “It seems none of my cousins wish to stay dead, and instead the ghosts of my past enjoy proving me wrong. Not that I have any complaints about it.”

Before Luna could ask more, she felt her mother tug gently on her arm. “You should come and meet your family,” she insisted softly. Luna gulped and then nodded. She knew it was time. Her mother had reacted well, and she hoped the rest of her family would be just as welcoming.

Rebecca pulled her close once more and kissed the crown of her head, but her gaze was fixated on Riley.

“I told you it would be worth it,” Riley taunted, though her voice seemed equally laced with hope and concern.

“You did,” Rebecca replied. “And you were right…” she broke off and clucked her tongue. “And I made you face your mother. I am sorry, Riley. You have done me nothing but favors and I have hassled you the entire way.”

“I am just glad it all worked out. She deserves her family and nothing else was more important,” Riley responded. She nodded at Luna and winked.

Luna felt her heart swell, and her lips pulled into a beaming smile. Riley, despite all her wild quirks and prickly distance at times, always made Luna feel so loved, and she appreciated her. Riley nodded. “Go,” she urged.

Before Luna was given a chance to respond, her mother placed a hand flat on her spine and shoved her. Luna lost her balance and careened into the water with a yelp and a splash. It was far from graceful, and Luna came up sputtering and disoriented, and was immediately swept into another powerful hug. Her father was a larger, strong Mer, and though it appeared he was trying to be delicate, he was practically squishing her against him. But his embrace was warm and he rubbed a hand down her back tenderly. He said nothing as he held her, but she could feel his breath hot on her shoulder and his heartbeat drumming in his chest. She could hear it too.

Luna closed her eyes and fell limp against him, content to simply be held. Her conscious mind did not remember him at all, but something buried deep down had been craving this comfort for a long time. She vaguely remembered how much she had once loved her mother, how safe and coddled she had felt. But her father, while a mystery, made her feel secure and protected, like nothing could ever go wrong again while he was there.

She hummed deep in her throat and felt a tear slip past the corner of her eye to slide down her cheek. She decided that his embraces were her favorite in all the world.


	32. Remembering

The sun had climbed to the highest point overhead and was glaring down on the water. It made Luna glad she had gravitated outside as she imagined the cabin was full of heavy, sweltering air by now. Lewis was perched at the start of the dock, one leg bent at the knee and resting on the wood planks, the other hanging free to trail his bare toes through the shallow water below. Her mother and father had pulled themselves up onto the bank enough to beach their tails on the sand while gentle waves rolled over their scales. Luna had previously tucked herself up beside them and simply enjoyed their presence but had chosen to wiggle free to soak her skin and scales out of the sun a bit better. She was still pale and sickly from her time spent in the Lemuria laboratories, and she burned easily.

As she had drifted away, Lewis had leaned forward on the deck and was talking with her parents in hushed tones. By the way their expressions darkened, Luna suspected they were getting filled in on several of the details about her past, and it was making her gut squeeze. She shook her head and looked away. Riley was bobbing in the water not far off next to her brother and his mate.

They had yet to approach her, or her them since they arrived, and Luna suspected perhaps her brother was nervous about meeting her too. She appreciated that she had been given the space to get to know her parents, but now she yearned to meet her brother as well.

She slipped beneath the water and flicked her fin before emerging again beside them. Riley’s eyes twinkled as she turned and waggled her fingers at Luna. “Took you long enough to get over here,” she teased.

She leaned over and bumped Luna with her shoulder, and Luna’s soft smile widened. Then Luna refocused her gaze on her brother and shyly rubbed her opposite arm. “Hello,” she greeted softly.

Her brother dipped his head in response. “Hello, Kera,” he replied in a slightly broken English. “I do not suspect you remember very much, little sister, but it is still good to see you.”

“I do not,” Luna agreed quietly. “But I want to know everyone again.”

“You will,” he agreed.

Luna nodded and then chewed her lip. More so than around her parents, she was feeling very bashful around Nero. He was older than her by quite a bit, well into his adulthood and seeming to have a life of his own. She almost felt she was intruding on it.

Despite her shyness, Nero offered her a wide, toothy grin. “I would like for you to meet my mate, Karina,” he introduced. “But I am afraid her pod never learned human dialects, so she will not know what is being said unless we switch tongues.”

“Can you speak another tongue?” Riley inquired softly.

Luna shrugged. “I can understand it, but I do not know if I can speak it. I have spoken nothing but English for a very long time.”

“Try,” Riley prompted with a sharp click in her voice. She swapped tongues and made it look easy.

Luna decided it should not be overly complicated to do. Katie even had managed it a few times. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration and she willed her throat to produce the same click she had heard in Riley’s tone. “Like this?” she inquired.

Riley winced and brought a hand to one ear. “Almost,” she encouraged. “Just not so shrill.”

“Sorry,” Luna apologized.

“Much better,” Riley praised. “Good job.”

Nero hummed his approval. “Kera, this is Karina. She is my mate, and a sister to you by extension.”

“It is lovely to meet you,” Karina said. She smiled and her soft brown eyes gleamed. She reached up and brushed a lock of wet hair off one of the upturned scales crowning her head, and then skimmed her fingers over the water to brush Luna’s arm. “Nero has talked of you often, with nothing but fondness.”

Luna smiled softly. The young woman before her had a gentle demeanor and Luna liked her immediately. Her sunny orange scales and pale blonde hair made her seem to glow in the high afternoon sun, and Luna felt the colors suited what little of her personality Luna had already gotten to witness. “It is nice to meet you too,” she agreed.

Luna could not help her gaze drifting downwards as she noticed the Mer’s rounded middle. That explained the strange milky sweet scent rolling off Karina. Luna had wondered. She had never sensed anything quite like it.

Karina chuckled and Luna felt heat tingle in her cheeks as she ducked her head and looked away. The other Mer had noticed, and she did not want to come off as rude for staring.

Her reaction only seemed to make Karina giggle more. “It is okay,” she said. Luna felt her fingers under her chin and let Karina lift her gaze back up. “You do not need to be embarrassed, Kera. You are allowed to be curious. Give me your hand,” she instructed.

Luna hesitantly placed her hand in Karina’s outstretched one. The woman grabbed her by the wrist and pulled Luna’s hand down close to her body. Luna started and tried to jerk her hand away. She had no ill intent, but she knew that a pregnancy was probably very delicate, and she did not want to risk harming Karina or her baby.

“It is alright,” Karina soothed. “You will not hurt me, I promise.” She pulled Luna’s hand again until the girl’s fingers were splayed across her belly.

Luna’s breath caught in her throat for a moment. It felt just like regular skin, but it was warmer, and Luna could feel it shift with every breath Karina took. After a moment, something bumped against her hand and she pulled away with a soft squeak of surprise.

Her face flamed up as Riley, Nero, and Karina began to laugh. “It moved!” she protested lightly. This only made the others laugh harder. Luna’s blush deepened and she hesitantly replaced her hand. She watched Karina as she did, just to make sure the woman was still alright with it. Now that she knew what to expect, she wanted to see if the unborn Mer would move again.

Karina’s smile was soft and welcoming as Luna marveled. She could not help it; it was so unique an experience.

After a moment, without really thinking about what she was doing, Luna sunk lower in the water and practically hugged Karina so she could press her ear to the Mer’s middle. Karina responded by placing a hand on her head and stroking gently.

“I can hear a heartbeat,” Luna whispered. Her eyes slid shut and she listened. Karina’s heartbeat was deeper, steadier, but in between the drumming thuds, she could hear a much softer, quicker flutter of beats.

Despite herself, Luna hummed deeply, the vibration rumbling through her scales and chest alike. Karina hummed too, and then buckled a little as she winced. With her cheek still pressed to the other Mer’s belly, Luna felt a much more powerful bump against the side of her face and she moved her head away in surprise.

Karina’s arms came to hug under her belly and her breath whistled out between clenched teeth. “Oof, that was a strong one,” she grimaced. “Be still, little one, I am not a wrestle partner,” she protested softly as she spread one hand over the bulge and rubbed softly.

“I am sorry,” Luna pressed. “I did not mean to-”

“Oh, no, no. Kera, you did nothing wrong. Nothing at all. I am alright; little Mer can get a little rowdy sometimes, that is hardly something you caused. But I am sure you will make a very good aunt come the time,” Karina assured her. “Because the baby certainly seems to like you. They have never been this active before.”

The comment gave Luna pause and her heart sunk. She pulled her arms to her chest and hugged herself. She shook her head. She had not considered what having a brother who was expecting a child would mean. “No,” she whispered. “I-I barely know how to be a Mer at all. I know a little about being a friend and maybe a cousin? But I do not really know how to be a daughter or a proper sister…I do not think I could be an aunt either.”

She started when Nero dropped a hand down on her shoulder. He dragged her close and wrapped her in a hug from behind. “You will be fine as a sister and a daughter, Kera. There are no expectations of you. And it is not so difficult for you to be an aunt. We just would like for you to have a role in our child’s life.”

“I…I think I can do that,” Luna agreed. She sniffled and wiped at the starting of tears that had welled in her eyes. It felt so nice to have them around her, to feel wanted by them. Many of her former fears just melted away.

She snuck a glance at Riley, who was hovering and smiling brightly. But despite her smile, there was a knowing, urging look in her eyes and Luna blushed. She knew what Riley was thinking about. While Luna had worked up the courage earlier to correct her mother about her mistrust of Lewis; Luna had not yet found the nerve to tell them about her name. That meant rejecting her former identity, and likely their perception of her. She was not brave enough. Not yet.

Riley knew it, and she was thankful her cousin had not said anything and had refrained from addressing her by any name so far. But she also knew she could not hide from the truth forever.

She carefully extracted herself from her brother’s hug – not because she disliked the embrace, but more to feel a bit more a part of the group instead of a small, coddled child. As she moved, Luna gazed at her brother. He resembled their father a lot, but sitting next to him, she did not feel very much like his sister. She was pale compared to his deep gray-brown skin and dark hair and tail. Thick red stripes curled down the sides of his tail, three on either side, and she was fascinated by his scales. They were not like hers or any others she had seen, but rather were stretched and rough to the touch, but felt just as sturdy an armor plating the rippling muscles beneath.

Her gaze drifted towards the large dorsal jutted from his spine. It was a unique feature too, but she could not quite figure out what was attracting her to it so much. After a moment of hesitation, she gave in to an unexpected urge. She flicked her fin and left the water a ways, grabbing ahold of it as she did.

Luna wrapped her fingers firmly around the thick cartilage and held on tightly. Her weight seemed to catch Nero off guard for he careened backwards and plunged them both into the water.

Realizing what she had done, Luna released her brother and squirmed out from underneath him to surface with a sheepish blush. Nero came back up sputtering a moment later. His eyes were wide as he stared at her.

Around her, the other Mer all began to laugh, including her parents who were not far enough away to have missed the display. The heat returned to Luna’s cheeks and she sunk low in the water until it brushed her chin. She did not understand what was so amusing.

“You are the only one who could ever get away with that,” Nero chuckled.

“He really means the _only_ one,” Riley agreed. “Trust me, I tried. I tried for years. He’d buck anyone who tried. Slapped me hard enough my back was almost as dark as his tail for a moon the one time.”

“And yet you never learned your lesson,” Nero growled.

“She never does,” Luna’s mother teased as she swam up. She placed a hand on Luna’s shoulder and beamed brightly. “When you were little, you were very small. Smaller than you should have been. You were born too early and none of us were entirely certain you would survive. You were a fighter back then, with a strong and kindred heart. But while you had a surplus of spirit, it could not always make up for your body’s weakness. You struggled to swim and when you did, it tended to be awkward and clumsy. You have certainly grown into yourself now, but back then it made things difficult for you,” Rebecca began as she tucked some hair behind Luna’s ear.

“But you rarely liked to be held or carried. You enjoyed cuddling just fine, but seeing the other young Mer racing around always made you desperate to join them. When you would get tired, instead of letting me or your father carry you, you would grab ahold of Nero for a ride.”

“We used to call you his remora,” Riley added. “Always following him around, hanging on and getting towed.”

“His remora?” Luna inquired. It seemed so silly and yet, part of her still wanted to hold on to his dorsal. She shook her head. It was a silly notion.

“Yes well, you were certainly lighter back then,” Nero teased. He grabbed her around her waist and Luna squealed as he began to tickle her. She squirmed from his grasp and huffed. Her gaze drifted back to his fin. It had felt right somewhere in the back of her mind, and she wanted to do it again, even though it struck her as far too childish and burdening.

Nero regarded her with a knowing look in his eyes and sighed. “Alright,” he agreed. “Just one more time, for memory’s sake.”

Luna blushed again, but she could not keep the smile off her face as she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. After a moment, she let go and reclaimed her grasp on his fin. He seemed ready for her this time, for he did not stumble backwards under her weight again.

Instead, he surged forward and under the water at a startling speed. Luna whooped in delight and tightened her grip. She moved her tail in time with his, but they were moving primarily under his power. Her hair streamed out behind her and bubbles were lost in the current as they streaked towards the shore. It was as if Nero had forgotten how close they were, for he had to pull to an abrupt halt. Even still, his belly brushed the sand and the momentum flung Luna from his back. She yelped in surprise as she broke through the water and landed bodily in the sand with the surf crashing against her.

For a moment, Luna just lay there feeling stunned. Her side stung a bit from the sand rash of sliding across the shore, but she was otherwise unharmed, just startled.

“Kera! Are you alright?” The sharp concern in Nero’s voice prompted Luna to open her eyes.

The rest of her family was hurrying over as well, and she could hear Lewis’ footfalls pounding on the sand as he raced towards her too. Her body shook and her eyes closed as she began to laugh. It started as a soft giggle, then turned into a whirlwind of breathless cackling until she was gasping for air.

Her father was pulling himself up into the surf beside her at the same time Lewis hit his knees and sprayed sand over her shoulder.

She waved a hand at both of them. “I am fine,” she wheezed. She bit her tongue as she tried to stifle her chortling. “I am fine.” She pushed herself upright and stared at Nero. “That was fun!”

Nero chuckled and shook his head. “Sorry about the flight at the end. I do not normally have the shore to contend with.”

“It was exhilarating,” Luna said. “Thank you.” She found she meant the words wholeheartedly. She had been so stressed and riddled with anxiety over Katie and Lemuria and meeting her family in general, that it felt liberating to have a little fun. Those few seconds moving faster than she ever could, then flying through the air briefly, had sparked more life back into her than she had felt in moons. She dragged herself forward and hugged him tightly. “Thank you.”

Nero chuckled again and embraced her. “Of course. Anytime, little remora, any time at all.”

Luna hummed happily in the back of her throat. She did not remember much about her brother, but she was happy he was here and she was going to get the chance to know him properly now.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Luna?” Lewis pressed, drawing her attention away. “You got some air and that looked like a rough hit.”

Luna shook her head. “I promise I am fine, Lewis, honest,” she assured him. She did not want him to fret over her.

Behind them, Luna’s mother cleared her throat. Luna glanced over to see her mother and father pulling themselves up onto the shore as well. Karina had hung back reluctantly with one arm curled around her belly. She was watching Lewis with a nervous gaze. It saddened her, but Luna could understand why Karina was intimidated. None of her family were very familiar or trusting of the land, and Karina was pregnant and vulnerable.

Rebecca was also staring firmly at Lewis. “I appreciate all that you have done for my daughter, especially in light of what you have told me. You have my thanks, Lewis of the land. But what she needs most now is to return to the ocean and heal; learn to live as she was meant to.”

“I have no desire to interfere with that,” Lewis assured her. “I want Luna to be free and safe to live her life as well.”

Luna’s mother pursed her lips and flicked her fin in a display of irritation. Her father laid a hand on her shoulder. “What Rebecca means to say, is that we are hoping to help our daughter rehabilitate back into the water and regain what memories she can. We are aware there is a lot of trauma to overcome.”

Rebecca nodded. “Yes, and while it will always mean so much that you have helped her, it is hard to appreciate confusing her now. I understand that because she forgot so much, she may have needed to be called something, but her name is Kera and you should respect that now that you know it.”

Luna sighed as Lewis opened his mouth and faltered on a reply. He cast her a look and she knew it was time, however reluctant she was to have this particular conversation.

“Actually,” she whispered. “I am not confused, and Lewis continues to call me Luna because I asked him to.” She ducked her head and pulled at the roots of her hair for a moment as she wrestled with the stress and fear.

“What do you mean, Kera?” While her mother’s tone was gentle, Luna could not help the tears that swam in her eyes.

“My name is Luna,” she said. “You have to understand, when I was…No one called me by my name, no one called me anything or treated me like I was anything more than a brainless beast to be poked and prodded with sharp sticks. It was like that for so many cycles. I forgot so much, including my name. I lived with no purpose and no identity for so long.” Luna sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “Luna is not a temporary nickname in passing so that I would have something to go by. It was so much more to me. It was an identity, a sense of self. It was, and still is me. I want to be your daughter, I want to get to know my family again, and desperately want to find acceptance among you,” Luna pleaded. “But Kera means nothing more to me than a shadow label of a past I cannot recall. It is not who I am, and no matter how I may wish otherwise, it is not who I can be, either. I cannot fill a role I do not know or understand. I just want to be Luna, be me, and live as I am now with the family I want to know and love.”

The widened gazes of her family made Luna whimper. None of them responded. Then, finally, her father nodded. The sharp dip of his head showed acceptance, and Luna felt a glimmer of hope spark in her chest. Her mother was next, opening her arms to offer an embrace that Luna eagerly accepted.

“Luna,” her mother breathed as she folded Luna into a hug and began to pet her hair. “I am so sorry for everything you have endured. I wish I could convince you otherwise, take you home and help you remember who you were and can be again. But time has a way of eroding the edges of what has been broken until it cannot be mended again, only smoothed into something new. I love you, my daughter, not the name given to you at birth. If that girl has perished in her time away from home, then I mourn her loss all over again, but I will not allow that grief to shadow the gift I have been given,” she decided. “I would know you, as you are now…Luna.”


	33. Risky Measures

The sun was drooping low in the sky, etching dazzling shades of pink and orange across the horizon as day began to wane into twilight. Though the falling sun had not abated the heat to the waters or air, it had cooled the sand from scalding to pleasant.

Riley had pulled herself most of the way out of the water to bask on it, leaving just her tailfins to flutter in the gentle waves hitting the shore.

Lewis was flopped in the sand beside her, with one leg twisted like he was going to cross them, and the other pulled closer so he could rest one arm on the knee. He was digging his bare toes into the sand.

Luna was sitting a little further up, completely out of the surf with her tail curled under her and her long hair billowing in the gentle breeze wafting in from the ocean. Her mother and father were in front of her, sprawled on their bellies next to each other. The five of them had been talking the past little while. Nero and Karina had not joined them yet, however. Karina was still hanging back in deeper waters and eyeing Lewis nervously, while Nero stayed by her side with an arm wrapped around her shoulders. Every once in a while, he would dip his head to murmur something in her ear. Riley wondered if he was filling her in to bits of their conversation, as they were using English to keep Lewis in the loop, and Karina had not yet had enough exposure to the language to know what was being said.

Lewis seemed to catch her looking out at her older cousin because he laid a hand on her shoulder and pulled her attention back to him. He nodded out towards them. “Do they not want to join us?” he inquired.

Before Riley could respond, her aunt beat her to it. “Karina is a very nervous girl,” she refused. “This trip has been a lot for her. She does not have much trust in humans because they are responsible for the loss of her pod, and she cannot understand your tongue. It is easier for her to hang back.”

“I am sorry she has suffered,” Lewis agreed. “But I hope you all know you’re welcome any time, and none of us mean you any harm. Luna has been a pleasure to have around.”

“And what am I, then?” Riley protested playfully. Her lips pulled up to show her teeth and poked her tongue out between them.

“A brat?” Lewis offered.

Riley huffed and lashed her tail. Her fins swished through the water and showered Lewis in salty droplets.

“I rest my case,” he taunted as he shook his arms and then began to wring out his shirt.

Riley shrugged and bit back an amused giggle. Instead, she opted to lift her chin and present a haughty grin as she settled her tail back in the surf.

Lewis sighed and rolled his eyes, but his grin was wide. “It’s good to have you back, Riley,” he said after a moment.

Riley slumped down in the sand and rolled onto her back as she stared up at the glistening streaks of pink and gold staining the sky. “Good, because I am staying. Even I have had too much of an adventure.” She flicked her fins and stretched her arms high up towards the sky until she heard a soft popping noise and the sore muscles in her shoulders loosened. “I feel like I could eat half a school and then sleep for a quarter moon,” she declared.

From beside her aunt, her uncle Ixion hummed in agreement. “We should consider hunting before it grows too dark; these are unfamiliar waters. Rebecca, you should stay with Karina and Ker-Luna,” he caught himself and nodded at his daughter. Luna’s eyes were sparkling with sorrow and she looked away. Riley felt a swell of pity at her cousin’s pain. She hated that Luna felt so much guilt over the situation. “I will take Nero and Riley,” her uncle added.

Riley grimaced. She could feel her side beginning to tighten again, and she had not rested nearly enough while on the boat. Now that there was no urgency to push herself to her limits, the last thing she wanted was to venture off in search of fish.

Lewis cleared his throat and shook his head. “I’m sorry to say, but there’s not much in the way of good feeding out here. We’ve done a few topography scans and there’s no real schools of fish for miles.”

“Miles?” Rebecca echoed.

“Far,” Riley clarified. She did not know exactly the distance either, but she agreed with what Lewis was saying. She did not sense much in the way of ideal hunting either. She winced as she rolled over onto her front and propped herself up on her elbows. “If we are going to go, we should set out, but we will be swimming the night.”

Her aunt Becca pursed her lips. “I suppose we should consider getting to foraging then. There was a kelp forest below in the deeper waters when we arrived. It will not be as filling, but it will suffice.”

Riley nodded.

“You’ll need more nutrition than that, surely?” Lewis protested. “We’re a little short on supplies camped out here, but we can certainly figure out a meal for everyone.”

There was a heartbeat of silence that passed between them all. Rebecca pursed her lips and pressed her palms deep into the sand as she dragged herself further out of the surf. Lewis was still crouched down, so she was able to pull herself up to eye level. Her scales glittered a golden olive shade in the dying light instead of their usual brilliant shade of emerald, and she paused only to tuck a strand of her short hair back behind one ear. “We appreciate your hospitality and kindness, Lewis, but we are not pets; we will feed our own,” she refused firmly.

“I did not mean to imply-”

Aunt Becca cut Lewis off with a shake of her head. “You did not,” she assured him. “But you must understand it from our view. Humans are known for taking all manner of lives from their homes to tame as pets for amusement and labor. While I will not berate a kind individual for the deeds of a species, it is hard not to insist upon our independence.”

Lewis nodded and raised a hand to rub the back of his neck. “I can understand and respect that,” he agreed. “Is there anything I can do for you all though? I know you want to retain your independence, but up here we also tend to value being proper hosts to our guests.”

“You have done more than enough already,” Uncle Ixion spoke up.

“Yes,” Aunt Becca agreed. “You have kept our daughter safe, and generously aided my niece. You have our gratitude. You need not do anything more. There is more than enough nutrition in kelp to tide us a night or two. We will rest, and then it will be time to take Luna home.”

“Do not bother arguing, Lewis,” Riley sighed in amusement. “Stubbornness runs in the family.”

Lewis waved a hand in defeat. “Alright. If you do need anything, all you have to do is ask.” He shifted in the sand and crossed his legs, leaning one elbow on his knee and supporting his cheek on his palm. “You will be leaving so soon, then?”

“It is for the best,” Rebecca agreed. “There is not much here for us, and if we delay too much longer, Karina will not be able to make the trip back. It is never safe for a new mother to be travelling the open waters this way; especially not in a group as small as ours. And it is best we get Luna home as soon as possible.” Riley found her aunt’s solemn gaze focused on her next. “Will you be coming with us?”

Riley hesitated, then reluctantly dipped her head. “You could use an extra hunter on the journey. I will escort you back, but I will not stay.”

Her aunt pursed her lips, but she did not say anything. As Riley was searching her expression, another one caught her attention. She glanced towards her young cousin who was currently wringing her fingers and chewing her lip with a crestfallen, conflicted expression and drooped shoulders. “Luna?” she inquired.

Luna looked up from where she had been previously staring at the sand, and her bright blue eyes were glistening with tears. “No,” she whispered softly. “I am not ready to leave.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Riley saw her aunt’s head whip towards her daughter. “Luna?” she inquired. Her tone was soft and concerned, but there was an edge to it that Riley did not like. Her aunt always meant well, but Riley suspected she had concerns about Luna being too tame and would be inclined to drag her daughter back regardless.

The tears in Luna’s eyes continued to swell like tiny tidal waves until the spilled over her lower lashes and slid down her cheeks. She sunk in on herself and whimpered but shook her head again. “I cannot leave. Not yet. Not without Katie.”

“The formerly human girl that was with you? Luna, if she wishes to join us, she is more than welcome,” Rebecca soothed. “But wherever she is, if she does not want to come, we cannot force her.”

“That is something I was wondering about,” Riley finally added. She turned to stare Lewis down firmly. “I did not want to spoil the pleasantries earlier, but I have waited long enough. Where is Katie? And Sophie? I was expecting she would be back by now, but she does not feel any closer, and Katie should be here. She never leaves Luna, and now she is missing this? Why have you had to relocate away from home and what is going on?”

Lewis’ face fell and Riley’s heart squeezed. He sighed and Luna sniffled and bowed her head. There was something truly wrong. “She’s sick,” Lewis said finally. “Not long after you left, Katie started coughing and getting really ill. She declined very quickly.”

Riley reeled back, feeling as though she had been punched in the gut. Her belly twisted and hot bile rose in her clenched throat. It felt like she was being mocked with the very lie she told to her aunt.

“Where is she?” Rebecca inquired. “Perhaps I can aid her.”

Lewis shook her head. “I hoped in the beginning that you could,” he agreed. “You’d certainly know more than I do about Mer diseases and how to treat them. But at this point, I doubt there’s much you could have done. She’s in very rough shape. The cough was the start. She was coughing up blood and getting terrible headaches, then she stopped eating because she couldn’t keep anything down. She’s shed most of her scales and isn’t breathing without the help of a machine. Her gills only ooze pus when we put her in the water, but her skin is cracking and flaking leaving her up out of it. A couple days ago, we had to resuscitate her.”

“Resuscitate?” Rebecca echoed.

“Her heart stopped,” Lewis clarified. “We had to restart it. She nearly died.”

Riley felt her heart flutter with horror, and she stared at her aunt to see if the healer would have anything to say.

Instead, Aunt Becca merely shook her head. “I am sorry, but I know of nothing like that. I have never heard of such a disease with so many extreme symptoms. Though, I suppose it is possible that previous victims simply did not live long enough for them to manifest. Our medicines are strong, but they are limited. Out in the ocean, she would have died long before this point. The second her gills ceased to function certainly, but likely sooner if she could not eat or swim.”

Lewis sighed. “I had a feeling that would be the answer. It’s alright, I’ve already done everything I can at this point, and besides; she isn’t here. Sophie isn’t ready to let go – and I don’t blame her, although I think Katie was ready in part – and she took a final chance on her daughter. She’s back at the marine park.”

“I thought you felt it was not safe for us there anymore?” Riley queried. “That was the point of migrating, was it not?”

“Sophie’s taken her down there to call Lemuria. They don’t know about this place, we agreed Luna would stay here and then go with her family when the time came, in order to keep her safe. They can’t do much with just one and they can’t use Katie to create another like they did off Luna. But those scientists are probably the only people who know enough about her to possibly save her life.”

“I cannot leave her behind,” Luna sobbed. There were tears flowing freely down her cheeks now. “She saved me. She would never abandon me. I have to know, I cannot just leave her alone.”

“When did they go?” Riley pressed. She swallowed the thick lump of dread in her throat and forced the question out with a warble in her tone.

“A few days ago,” Lewis replied. “Just before I learned Lukshia had found you all. Sophie took her back down to the park with a colleague of mine because the park is better set up for the equipment they needed to treat her. I haven’t had any contact since they left, but I know they weren’t holding out much hope that they could help her any further. If she hasn’t contacted Lemuria already, she’ll be doing it soon.”

Riley nodded her understanding and began pushing herself back into the surf. Lewis leaned over and caught her by the wrist.

“Riley,” he warned as he held firm, even when she tugged on her arm.

“Let go, Lewis,” Riley countered. She lashed her tail and her fins stirred up water and silt around her.

“No,” Lewis refused. Riley growled softly. She knew it was not a refusal about releasing her. He knew, and was trying to stop her, but Riley had made up her mind. “Don’t be stupid,” he scolded her. “They would need two; it is her only safety right now.”

Riley sighed and yanked her hand free of his fingers with a harsh tug. “I am not being stupid,” she hissed.

“Stay here,” he commanded.

“You are not thinking of going after them?” Rebecca demanded. She bared her fangs and slapped her fin on the water so the spray showered them both. “Even you are not so foolish. These are the very people Luna is fleeing from and you want to swim right into their grasp? Do not be brash!”

Riley glowered between the two. “This is my family,” she growled back. “And right now, I only know that half of them are safe. I will not sit here idly while they are in jeopardy.”

Riley had already pushed herself deeper. “Riley, please,” Lewis strained. “The best thing that you can do for them right now is stay out of trouble. Sophie doesn’t need the added stress right now. I know it’s not easy, but you have to wait here.”

Riley shook her head and did not reply, but she did hesitate for a moment. They seemed to take her silence as refusal, however, for Lewis stepped closer and her aunt reached towards her. Riley swished her gliders to pull herself further back into the water. The waves lapped at her shoulders.

“Riley? I want to go with you,” Luna spoke up. Riley locked gazes with her desperate cousin and sighed.

“Luna…”

“Do not ask me to stay when you will not,” Luna begged.

“I can handle myself,” Riley replied. “I know your fears, Luna, but you cannot come with me. It will be easier and faster for me to go on my own, and your family needs you now too. If something happened to you, they would have come all the way just to get to grieve again. Trust me, little cousin, I will do what I can to ensure they are both safe.”

“No,” Lewis barked. “Riley, I mean it, you will stay here. You are not going down there…please.”

Riley sighed. She hated the lines of distress that were creasing Lewis’ expression. He was not angry, but concerned for her. She hated to disappoint him, but she refused to sit out on Katie and Sophie. She glanced at the rest of her birth family, and then back to Lewis. “Keep them safe, okay?”

She did not wait for an answer and instead twisted herself backwards and lashed her tail to shoot into deeper water. She heard Lewis calling her name, and felt her aunt’s nails craze over one of her fins as she darted away, but she ignored them both.

She knew she could outswim her aunt and her uncle, and that neither of them were likely to pursue her too far. She flicked her fins again, only to pull up short to avoid slamming into Nero’s chest. Her older cousin regarded her solemnly and she bared her fangs in a silent warning not to stop her. “I will come with you,” he stated instead. “If you insist on going.”

“Karina needs you more,” Riley reminded him. “You are going to have a baby, you need to be here.”

“You are not anticipating coming back.” It was not a question.

Riley sighed and shrugged. She was prepared for what may come. “Do not let them teach the child that I was just a reckless fool, hmm?”

“You should teach them yourself,” he countered.

She smiled softly. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and squeezed. “I am glad you are alright. Look after Luna, alright? She needs a brother now more than ever.”

Pulling away, she darted up over him and shot off for deeper water before angling to keep close to the coast. Exhaustion still burned in her muscles, but her determined loyalty drove her to pursue the missing members of her family. She knew she would probably have to rest before she stormed in, given she had no idea what she would be rushing into and – despite her family’s beliefs – she was not that foolish. But for now, she wanted to close as much distance as possible.

She was genuinely worried about the condition Lewis described. She was just getting to enjoy Katie’s company, and now the new Mer was deathly ill. And from what had been described to her about Luna and Katie’s situation, Lemuria was not a place to be trifled with, and the fear for Sophie as well was churning Riley’s stomach. The woman may be human, but she was the closest thing to a proper mother that Riley had. She had missed Sophie so much over her trip, and she knew that she loved the members of her chosen family very deeply. Her aunt thought her a fool and Lewis likely saw her as hasty and irresponsible, but Riley was not going to lose anyone else close to her, no matter what.

She lashed her tail again to put on a larger burst of speed to match the pace of her pounding heart. Her eyes were stinging and Riley bit her lip to try to force the swell of emotions down. She hated feeling helpless like this and only hoped that they were going to be okay.


	34. The Truth About Feelings

Lewis sat in the sand in stunned dismay. He’d gotten too close lunging for Riley and now the waves were soaking his shorts; not that he noticed much.

The tips of Riley’s fins disappeared below the surf, and then she was gone. Lewis saw Rebecca lurch after her, but the older Mer resurfaced a moment later shaking her head and muttering something in a whistling language Lewis could not understand.

Shaking himself out of his daze, he fumbled for the burner phone he was currently carrying in case of an emergency and flipped it open. He had to warn Sophie before Riley got herself into a worse situation. He couldn’t believe the headstrong girl had just been that reckless.

Lewis paused halfway through dialing Sophie’s number. Slowly – with a shaking hand – he closed the phone and put it away. His heart pounded in his chest as he did. He couldn’t call her. He had no idea if she had already contacted Lemuria or not, or if anyone was currently with her. If he called, he might not only also alert the institution, but also give them an opportunity to trace the call. Lewis couldn’t risk exposing them all.

He dropped his hand in dismay and glanced at Rebecca, who was wringing her fingers and twisting her fin in an agitated twitch. “Could you catch her?” he inquired. He winced as he asked the question, hating how he had to expect it of the Mer that he had only just met.

Rebecca stared evenly back at him and sighed with a shake of her head. “No,” she replied. “But-”

She broke off and twisted around. Lewis followed her line of sight to Luna’s brother. The two were silent for a moment before he shook his head and shrugged. “She has a lead, and you know how she is when her mind is set.”

Rebecca hissed her annoyance and then glanced back at Lewis and sighed. “Riley can take care of herself,” she said finally.

Lewis shook his head and rose from the sand to dust his shorts off. He needed to fix this, though he wasn’t quite certain how. “No, you don’t understand. The only protection Katie has right now – however flimsy it might be – is that they need at least two Mer for their public display. If Riley goes, she’s only delivering herself to them and condemning Katie as well. We _have_ to catch her.”

“Catch who?”

Already stressed and on edge, the sound of Lukshia’s voice behind him caused Lewis to yell as he spun around to face her. The broad-shouldered woman was staring at him with the same calm, serious expression she almost always had. Previously, she had been checking on her surveillance measures upon returning and getting the boat docked. He hadn’t heard her approach to know she was listening.

“Riley,” he answered. His cheeks flushed at his earlier reaction, but Lukshia didn’t comment on it, so he continued explaining the situation to her. “She’s going after Sophie. I couldn’t talk her out of it. Do you think your boat can catch her?”

Lukshia pursed her lips and frowned. “I can’t take the ship that close to the park. The reefs are too shallow in the area and it’s too conspicuous. A speedboat _might_ have caught up to her if we had one and left now, but if she’s that bent on going, short of a net launcher and a tranq gun, catching up to her isn’t stopping her,” Lukshia pointed out.

“Then what do we do? We can’t call Sophie and warn her.”

“No,” Lukshia agreed. She shrugged and sighed. Her hand rose to pinch the bridge of her nose and then rub her eyes. “We have to just let her go. It’s not ideal, but it was always a risk they would reclaim Katie into their custody anyways. I’m not sure how long it will take, but we’ll make plans and get them out again. This time we’ll play it smarter too, so that they don’t find them again.”

“We can’t just leave them! After everything Lemuria has done to Katie and to Luna, we can’t just let them have her and Riley,” Lewis protested. He balled his hands into fists and then opened them again, the twitching motion acting as a release for his frustrations.

“We don’t really have much of a choice,” Lukshia countered. “Besides, they’re not the ones I’m worried about. They’re valuable, they’re not going to want them damaged. I’m more concerned about Sophie, who officially becomes a liability the moment they no longer need her to get their hands on a second Mer.”

Lewis felt his heart stall in his chest. He licked his lips and shifted his weight from foot to foot. “They wouldn’t hurt her, would they? I mean, she still knows the location of this place. They won’t want to just settle for two, surely? And the park is heavily populated.”

He studied Lukshia’s grim body language. “I’ll see if I can get someone there to get her out; but I doubt she’ll be willing to abandon her daughter to her fate, and any move is risky. Let’s just hope your girlfriend doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Lewis pulled at his hair and hissed in frustration. He twisted away from the woman – he wasn’t truly cross with her, but rather how helpless he now felt – and kicked some sand as he stalked to the shore until the water pushed up over his toes. He cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted after Riley. He loved the reckless Mer and knew she was only trying to help in her own way, but he couldn’t help cursing her hasty decision. He called again, then flinched when he felt wet fingers brush against the bare skin of his shin.

“She is long gone,” Rebecca said. She spoke softly, and her tone seemed laced with regret. “She will not hear you. My niece is headstrong and not easily dissuaded once she sets her mind to something. All we can do is hope that she is smart enough to realize on her own the precarious situation she will be putting the others in.”

Lewis sighed and dropped back down to the sand. The water soaked through his shorts, but he didn’t care. It would dry. “I’m sorry. It’s probably been quite the trying day for you and your family as well; me losing my head isn’t going to help anyone. You’re down a hunter now…I know you have your reservations, but let us accommodate you, just for tonight,” he offered again. While he wanted nothing more than to dash off to Sophie’s aid, he knew he had to stay behind. Luna and her family still needed him and he knew Sophie would never forgive him if he put the rest of the Mer at risk for her sake. He would never forgive himself either. He hoped they would take him up on the offer so that he could at least feel moderately useful.

He could see the uncertainty flickering in Rebecca’s gaze and she pursed her lips before glancing behind her. “It is more than my reservations; we have no desire to impose either. You have done more than enough for us by protecting our own as you have. We will manage. But – if you are willing and she can be convinced to brave her fears – I might accept on behalf of Karina; her pregnancy is taking its tolls on her, especially after such a long journey, and she needs more nutrition than the rest of us.”

Lewis nodded. “That’d be no trouble at all. How far along is she, if you don’t mind me asking?” He glanced out where the Mer in question was in the water. She was slumped bodily against Luna’s brother, Nero, and looked exhausted. “Is she alright?”

Rebecca turned instead of answering him and was silent for a moment. When she finally did speak, it wasn’t to him and it wasn’t in English.

When she finished, both Mer out in the water dunked under it and swam over. When Nero surfaced, he was supporting most of Karina’s body weight, and Rebecca was quick to shift closer begin fussing over the blonde Mer.

Though Lewis couldn’t understand the chirping conversation that struck up, it wasn’t hard to notice how Karina’s voice was far more subdued and wearier than the other two. She looked a little pale and her breathing was shaky, and – though she eyed him warily at first – her gaze seemed unfocused.

“The stress has been a lot,” Rebecca said in her slightly warbled English. Lewis appreciated being filled in. “This trip has been a bit too taxing with her pregnancy so far along. She just needs a chance to eat and rest. I would like to give her something to help her sleep, but the few supplies I did bring with me were lost when we were _welcomed_ aboard that ship.” Though Rebecca’s tone was dry and laced with a bitter layer, she didn’t look angry as she gazed at him. Still, he felt a little guilty that they had endured a less than polite interception. Lukshia was efficient at her job – and seemed to genuinely care most of the time – but he also knew she could be a bit headstrong too, and was prone to getting things done efficiently, even at the expense of the comfort of those she was trying to help with little regard or remorse.

“I have a few medications on hand that would help with any anxiety and make her drowsy, and they’ve never had any negative effects on Luna or Riley, but I’d be worried about whether it would affect the baby or not.”

Rebecca hummed in the back of her throat, but she barely seemed to acknowledge him. She stretched out a hand and laid it over Karina’s swollen middle, and said something to the ailing Mer. “She just needs to relax,” Rebecca finally explained in English for him. “There has been too much excitement, and a proper rest will do her more good than anything. It is just difficult for her to settle here. Worries plague her mind and these waters are not ideal for rest with the waves jostling the body every moment.”

Lewis nodded as he processed the Mer’s words. While she seemed to know what she was doing and he often knew better than to involve himself with another’s patient uninvited, he had an idea. “I might be able to help,” he offered. “But she’d need to be comfortable leaving the water. If she’ll let me, I can carry her so she doesn’t have to drag herself.”

As if she had understood him, Karina shrunk back against her mate with terror glistening in her chocolaty irises, and shook her head. Lewis frowned.

“We pick up languages quickly, but it takes longer to learn to speak then to comprehend,” Rebecca elaborated, confirming Lewis’ suspicion. “What is this aid you are suggesting, an herbal remedy?”

Lewis shook his head and scruffed a hand through his hair as he leaned back on his heels. “No, but it is effective. It’s a little hard to explain since you won’t really understand what I’m talking about until I show you, but it’s helped Luna a few times too…” Lewis trailed off with a frown as he glanced up and noticed a distinct lack of young Mer on the beach. He glanced out over the water next and supposed she could be under the surface, but he didn’t like the idea of her brooding by herself and had a sinking feeling in his gut. “Where is Luna?” he inquired as he voiced his concerns.

As soon as he said it, Rebecca’s eyes widened and her face fell. She twisted to scan over the shore and her lips parted. She didn’t speak, so Lewis assumed she was scenting. He’d seen Riley do it enough to recognize the behavior. “Ixion?” Rebecca called out. She shook her head and the next vocalizations were ones Lewis couldn’t understand.

A moment later, the water further out began to stir and dark shadows from below distorted across the surface. When Ixion’s dark head broke the surface, he came up dragging Luna with him. She was thrashing in his grip and with the way she was squirming, Lewis was impressed her father was maintaining a solid grasp.

“No, let go,” Luna yelled. She was writhing in his arms, and her fin was splashing wildly and stirring up the water. “Please, I need to go too.”

Lewis winced as his concerns were confirmed, though he was quietly impressed she had managed to sneak past everyone else – Lukshia included – in order to get as far as she did.

Despite her unrelenting fussing, Ixion didn’t seem to have too much trouble dragging her back towards them. Still, Lewis hurried over and sloshed through the surf in order to haul the flailing young Mer up out of the water once it became too shallow for Ixion to pull her any further.

Though Ixion’s expression was grim and his lips were pursed into a thin line, he didn’t protest Lewis pulling his daughter up into his arms. Luna certainly seemed to mind though, as she lurched her weight backwards and Lewis nearly fumbled to keep a hold on her. “Luna, stop! Enough now,” Lewis ordered as she beat against his chest and began contorting herself to get away.

He remembered the last time she’d been held while in a panicked state all too clearly, and – while he was willing to risk a bite to help her – knew it would not be very good for her psyche to have a repeat experience. This in mind, he hurried up further onto the beach and set her down, but positioned himself between her and the ocean so that she couldn’t sneak away as easily again.

Her piercing blue eyes were brimming with tears as she met his gaze and stared him down. “Move,” she hissed as she tried to pull herself around him and he stepped in front of her again. “Please, Lewis; I _have_ to go.”

Lewis shook his head, though his heart squeezed at her obvious desperation. “I’m sorry, Luna; I really am, but I cannot allow you to go after Riley. You don’t know how to properly navigate the ocean, and even if you did; I won’t let you put yourself in pointless danger.”

“I agree,” Ixion added. Lewis glanced to his side where the Mer had pulled himself up. His posture was tense and his tone stern, but Lewis could see the concern clouding Ixion’s dark irises. While it was a terrible situation, Lewis felt relief. They were going through so much, but at least he knew that – despite all the changes and time apart – Luna’s father deeply cared for her, and she was going to be alright with them.

“But, I-”

“No.” It was Rebecca’s stern voice that cut Luna off. “I understand you are concerned for your friend, but I will not indulge any reckless behavior. You will stay here, you will remain safe, and you will not make the situation any more precarious for those already at risk by adding yourself to the frenzy.”

Thus far, Luna had seemed rather shy around her parents – her mother especially – and always hesitated when standing up to them, but now she bared her fangs and sunk low into a defensive position as tears rolled down her cheeks. “You do not understand,” she protested.

Lewis leaned forward and pulled the trembling girl into his arms before she could protest or properly resist. He squeezed her tight and knotted his fingers into her long hair. “I do understand, Luna,” he whispered. “My niece is dying and in danger, and the woman I love has been forced to invite wolves into her den, and I have no way of knowing if either of them are going to be alright. And now Riley has raced off into the same fray, and I couldn’t stop her or protect her either. I want nothing more than to race down there to warn them, defend them as best I can, and simply be there with them. I want to, but I can’t. I can’t do that because it only gives Sophie one more person to worry about, and it leaves you and your family all alone. I promised them I would keep you safe. You know that there’s nothing Katie would hate more than to see you dragged back there. It’s hard, and it hurts, but we have to stay here and have faith that they will be alright, okay?” Lewis gritted his teeth and hugged her even more tightly. He empathized, and he hated feeling powerless just as much as she probably did right now.

“I do not want to wait here, _safe,”_ she spat the word with enough venom that Lewis tensed. “Not while they are not.”

“You’re doing more good right here,” he whispered back.

Luna shook her head. “It is not enough. Lewis, please, I have to go. I need to be with her; I love her.”

Lewis began to rub the girl’s back as she continued shaking and clinging to him desperately. “I know, sweetie. She loves you too. You girls have been through so much, and you’re so close. I know you’re worried, I know she’s your sister, but she loves you too and that’s why you need to stay here.”

Luna broke down into further sobs and shook her head against his chest as he cradled her. “No, no, no, no,” she whimpered. “Let go,” she begged as she pushed at him. Lewis dropped his hands away from her back so she could sit up, and Luna began frantically wiping at her tears. “Lewis, I love her more,” she admitted. “She is more than my sister.”

“Is she a mate?” Rebecca probed gently when Luna failed to elaborate.

Lewis frowned at the thought. There was nothing inherently wrong with it, but he already knew that Luna was highly attached to and dependent on Katie – which was understandable given their shared trauma – but Luna also seemed to treat Katie as her savior, and that sort of romantic entanglement wasn’t healthy for either of them. Luna was fragile enough as it was.

So while the fresh tears streaming down her cheeks made his heart squeeze, he was relieved when her nose scrunched and she shook her head. “No. No, not like that. I do not…I do not want a mate. It is not like that.”

“Then what?” Ixion’s tone was tender as he reached out and placed a hand on Luna’s shoulder.

Luna’s face scrunched like it often did when she was trying and failing to hide something that was paining her. After a moment, she shook her head and curled in on herself further. “Please just let me go after Riley,” she whispered.

“You’re so desperate to go, tell us why,” Lukshia said as she stepped up. She didn’t crouch, so Luna had to crane her neck to look up at the woman. Lewis has seen the rather monotone bounty hunter look slightly stressed or relieved through the time she’d hung around, but she’d rarely shown too much open emotion. Now, however, she looked openly frustrated and annoyed, and any of the previous warmth and patience she’d shown Luna had vanished.

“We want to help, Luna. We want to understand. But you _need_ to talk to us. What is it?” Lewis probed. He didn’t like the fresh tears watering in Luna’s eyes, nor the way she’d flinched at Lukshia’s harsher tone, so he tried to keep his own request soothing.

“It is okay,” Rebecca pressed. “Whatever is upsetting you, Luna, you can tell us. You said that you love Katie as more than a sister; what is the more?”

Luna shook her head. “I do not want to upset you.”

“Why would it upset me?” Lewis watched Rebecca’s tail flick. Her tone was still soft, but she seemed to be growing weary. He sighed. Luna was not the easiest clam to pry open when she was distressed.

“I..I do love her like a sister,” Luna began hesitantly. “But…she is more, she felt like my world for a while. When it was just the two of us…she was the closest thing I had to…to a mother.”

While Rebecca pulled back like she’d been slapped, Lewis felt his gut sink. It made a lot of sense, but it also greatly reduced the chances that Luna would see reason about staying behind. He wasn’t anticipating her letting it go.

Luna whimpered at Rebecca’s reaction. “Please, I do not mean it that I want Katie over you, or that you have failed me. But I lived for so long in fear and isolation. There was never anything but pain. No one bothered to reassure me or smile, or pretend even for a moment that I might be a living, feeling creature worth any sympathy. I did not even have an identity, real or not, because there was no thought that I could have a name or deserve one,” Luna’s explanation was frantic, but then her tone turned bitter. “Creature, animal, fish, monster, beast, demon, devil, thing…I started to believe them after a while.” Luna broke off and hung her head.

Though her long, sopping hair fell into her face like a concealing curtain, Lewis had seen the tears still streaming down her cheeks. He yearned to pull her into a hug, but it was her mother that she reached for. Rebecca didn’t waste any time pulling herself a little further up in the sand and bundling her daughter into her arms and resting her chin atop the crown of Luna’s head. Luna was silent as she hugged her back and continued to cry. “None of that is true,” Rebecca whispered.

Luna shrugged and didn’t respond to the comment, but Lewis saw a small smile twitch across her lips. “When Katie showed up, she looked so confused and so afraid, and I knew that she was also afraid of me. I was afraid of her too, I was always afraid then – but I also felt so hopeful. I hoped that maybe it would mean I would not be alone anymore, though I dreaded that it was a trick and feared it had cost her freedom too. But…then she smiled at me. She smiled at me and she gave up food for me, and spent the night in frigid water so that I would not freeze,” Luna recounted.

She paused to rub furiously at her tear-filled eyes and her shaky smile grew. “She talked to me. Before she knew if I could understand or comprehend, she spoke to me. She was the only one who considered me worth talking to. She gave me a name, an identity, and I felt that maybe I did not have to be a skittish, volatile beast. We played games; I had never played before…that I could remember,” she added. “I laughed. But I could not speak to her in return. I still do not understand it, but whenever I tried, my throat would tighten, and I could never make a sound. It only hurt to keep trying.”

Rebecca nodded and smoothed Luna’s hair back.

“I explained to her,” Lewis said.

“And I have witnessed it before, once, and heard of other instances as well,” Rebecca continued with a nod in Lewis’ direction. “You are the first I have heard of to regain your voice however.”

Luna nodded and wrung her fingers before continuing. “Katie protected me – or she tried – and she told me stories of the ocean and the world; hoping that it would help me remember. She stayed with me at night, and held me when I had nightmares…she made me feel safe. And…I remember thinking – all those times – that it felt so good to feel loved and wanted. I remember imagining that this feeling was the one I had longed for all those cycles. The one I vaguely remembered, desired; that I felt from you. It had to be what it felt like to have a mother. But Katie called me a sister and a friend, never a daughter. I knew it did not make sense, was not fair or accurate to think of her that way, but it was the only association I had to the one thing I had wished for over and over and over,” Luna whimpered. “I just wanted you to come save me.”

“Luna…” Rebecca’s voice broke as she rubbed her daughter’s back. There were tears in her eyes too.

“It was not your fault; I never blamed you,” Luna continued. “But roles and identities were so confusing, they still are. I do not know how to be or act or feel around others, not after so long alone. I know I projected a wish onto Katie, but it does not change how I feel about her. I need her. And I think she needs me too.”

Rebecca smoothed Luna’s hair. “I am sure that she does,” she agreed. “I understand, Luna. I understand why you feel the need to go, but I hope you understand that as a mother – who just got her daughter back and has heard all that she has endured – that I cannot allow you to swim back into danger and that life.”

“We just want you to be safe,” her father added. Lewis glanced at the male Mer. He was squeezing his fists and stirring the silt with his tail. The cloudy gray-white fin running down the length of the limb had darkened to a stormy shade. It was a unique emotional response that Lewis hadn’t seen in any of the other Mer, but he was quickly learning that they all seemed to be very different, with their own unique – and often disorienting – features and body language. He wondered how they managed to read one another accurately when nothing seemed to be universal among them.

“I have to go,” Luna repeated. She was clinging to her mother now, but Lewis was not surprised that she had not caved.

“You can’t,” Lukshia reminded. “It will only make things worse.”

“It was the two of us,” Luna whispered. “Just the two of us. We needed each other. She did so much for me, and now I have to let her endure it alone, so that I will be spared? That is no way to repay her generosity.” Luna squirmed from her mother’s hug and Rebecca responded by clasping Luna’s hands in her own. “It was one thing to take the risk when she was dying and they needed both of us to take her; and it was hard enough to know she might die there. But if she no longer has that protection, I cannot abandon her.”

“You don’t know that’s what’s going to happen,” Lewis reminded. “Riley’s a smart, resourceful girl. I don’t know if she’s going to ensure things are alright or if she intends to help, but she won’t just rush in recklessly. She knows that a lack of other Mer is the one thing that might offer Katie some protection. She won’t risk that without a good reason.”

The look on both Rebecca and Ixion’s faces suggested they didn’t believe him, but Lewis was clinging to the same hope he was offering to Luna.

“I am sorry,” Luna whispered. She glanced at Lewis and her eyes were wide and bloodshot, and filled with more tears. “I am sorry that I am a hassle and causing everyone so much trouble.” Her attention twisted back to her parents. “I am sorry that you came all this way, and that I am probably not what you were hoping for. I know you want to keep me safe this time, but I cannot sit here, I cannot and I will not.”

She tugged her hands free of Rebecca’s grip. “I am sorry, but I am going. I am going because Katie would come for me. I need too.”

“Luna, please,” Rebecca begged.

“She’s not going to let this go.”

Lewis jerked his attention from the gut wrenching scene to where Lukshia stood. He hadn’t noticed her make her way around to his side, and she had spoken quietly enough that the preoccupied Mer didn’t seem too interested in acknowledging her, though he knew their hearing was better.

He sighed and shook his head. “No.”

Lukshia pursed her lips and didn’t say anything more.

Luna and her parents were still arguing quietly, and judging by her twitching fin, Luna was growing increasingly desperate and agitated.

Finally, it seemed Lukshia had grown tired of the debate, because she strode forward from where she was standing. She was digging in her pocket, but by time he saw the needle, it was too late for Lewis to protest.

“I do not want anyone to get hurt, but I have tried to be patient and do what everyone else thinks is best. I cannot anymore. I need my sis-ah,” Luna broke off with a pained yelp as Lukshia grabbed her by the shoulder and jabbed the needle between her shoulder blades.

Luna’s eyes clouded with terror before they rolled back in her skull and her lids drooped shut as she slumped. Lukshia looped an arm around her to catch her as she collapsed.

“Lukshia!” Lewis shouted as he lurched to his feet. This was not the way to handle the situation.

“What did you do?!” Ixion snarled. He bared his fangs and hissed furiously.

Lewis held a desperate hand up. “She’s only sleeping,” he assured the Mer. “It will wear off. Lukshia, what were you thinking?”

Lukshia shook her head and lowered Luna down to the sand. “I was handling the situation. She was going to work herself into a frenzy, and we don’t need to be worrying about any injuries out here. You know it would only be a matter of time before she tried to sneak off again. Take her inside, where it will be harder.”

“I’m not going to lock her up,” Lewis refused. “That’s exactly what we’ve been trying to get her away from.”

“You had no right!” Rebecca snarled. “She is not an animal you can just control or knock out when you cannot be bothered to deal with her.”

Lukshia scoffed and shook her head. “Look, I know what Luna has been through, and the last thing I want is to make her feel worse. But I don’t know if any of you truly understand exactly who we’ve gone up against. I was happy to help because my best friend asked me to, but I am one person. I am very good at my job, but my resources and connections are a pinprick on the map in comparison to the international, corrupt company we’re battling over these two Mer.

“My life and my career depend on making smart decisions and knowing when to lay low, and your blonde teenager just threw a massive wrench into carefully constructed plans. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions in these situations, and I’m not going to let a young girl jeopardize her life after so many people have put so much on the line to protect her. Because honestly? If Lemuria claims Katie and Riley, I don’t know that I have the means to get them back again. Not for a very long time at least. So take a minute to decide which is worse, penning Luna up until this blows over, or letting her spend what remains of her youth as a science experiment and performing monkey, because there’s only so much more I can do.”

Lewis took a step back. The fury in Lukshia’s eyes was intimidating, though his own temper flared at her lack of empathy. Luna wasn’t a troublemaker and she didn’t want to hurt anyone. She was just desperate and afraid, and he felt she deserved better courtesy than being jabbed in the back of the neck with a sedative.

The woman shook her head and turned on her heel. He watched her walk away, headed towards her SUV. He wasn’t sure where she was going, but figured it best to let her blow off steam away from the other Mer. So much for good first impressions.

Lewis glanced back at Luna. Her limp form was sprawled on the beach, but Rebecca had pulled her head into her lap and was stroking her daughter’s hair. He was confident that she had her daughter well looked after, so he made his way back over to where Nero and Karina were still sprawled. There was another Mer that needed tending to.

Karina’s eyes were wide and she shrunk away from him when he approached. He didn’t blame her, not after she witnessed how Lukshia had dealt with Luna’s fussing. “Don’t worry,” he murmured. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to help. Will you let me?”

There was a moment of silence after he spoke before Karina chittered something to Nero, who responded in turn. The young woman still looked terribly frightened, but after licking her lips and swallowing, she nodded.

Lewis kept his movements slow as he reached out and carefully scooped the pregnant Mer up. He heard her whimper, but stayed quiet and kept their trip short. Once she was all the way out of the water – where the surf wouldn’t reach her – he set her back down, moving slowly so he wouldn’t jostle her.

“Lay down and get comfortable, okay?” he instructed. “However you normally would.”

She was chewing on her lip, and Lewis followed her gaze when she glanced back down towards the water. Nero was pulling himself up out of the surf – likely to be with her – but still had a bit of distance to drag himself.

Lewis chewed his lip – he needed to calm her down and suspected he might be able to kill two birds with one stone – and then he gestured behind them both. “Would it be alright if I brought Luna over? I won’t lock her up, but she does need to be watched right now and she might feel more secure over here when she wakes up.”

Karina looked over her shoulder at Luna and Lewis watched her fear-struck features soften. She had one hand pressed to her belly, and already seemed more relaxed. He’d had a feeling her maternal instincts were raging as her pregnancy neared its final stages. After a moment, she glanced back and him and dipped her head. “Y-y-yes,” she managed. There was still a whistling chirp to her tone, and the word was shaky and poorly pronounced, but Lewis found himself once again amazed at their abilities.

By the time he’d fetched Luna and carried her back, Nero had made it to his mate’s side. He pushed back a little so there was room for Lewis to lay Luna down at Karina’s back. The pregnant Mer was rolled onto one side with her arm still wrapped around her middle. When he set Luna down, Karina slowly rolled to her other side and draped her free arm over the unconscious girl.

As soon as she was settled, Nero pulled himself over to rest at her back. He bent down and pressed a kiss to her cheek, and Karina hummed softly. She looked exhausted, however, and made no move to lift her head and return the gesture.

It was starting to get dark, and Lewis didn’t want to still be reacting to issues once the sun was down, so he hurried inside. He pulled a blanket off the back of the well-worn couch and turned a small dial on the one corner. The blanket was weighted and heated – battery powered – and he found it was the one simple thing that seemed to put Luna at ease. Katie tended to love it too, and he suspected that the weight and warmth might also help in this situation too.

Though Nero eyed him curiously and Karina looked a little alarmed, neither of them made a move to stop him as he shook the blanket out and draped it over both Luna and Karina. The moment it settled over her, Karina’s hum returned, magnifying into a rumbling purr before she slumped and her eyes closed. The purr died softly into quiet snoring and Karina finally seemed to give in to her exhaustion because she didn’t stir anymore.

“Thank you,” Nero murmured. “She needed to sleep.”

“Of course,” Lewis replied. He was just glad that she was finally resting.

He left Nero to settle in quietly next to his sister and his mate, and made his way over to Rebecca and Ixion. “I’m sorry,” he said when he reached them. “Today has been a lot for you all, and this last situation didn’t help matters. Lukshia has a funny, grating personality, but she does care and wants to help. She shouldn’t have done what she did, but I hope a hasty choice won’t reflect too harshly on us overall. Luna’s wellbeing remains a high priority. The same for all of you.”

“You have shown us nothing but kindness,” Rebecca replied. “I am only sorry it seems we have brought more trouble with us.”

“Riley was going to do something foolish with or without your presence anyways,” Lewis laughed. “I love her, but that girl is going to drive my stress levels every time I see her, I’ve accepted that fate.”

“There is nothing foul between us then,” Ixion stated. “We are grateful for everything you have done for our blood.”

Lewis nodded and shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts. He was worried about Katie and Sophie, and stressed about Riley, but despite everything, he knew he wouldn’t trade knowing this quirky bunch of people from the water.

He glanced up to the darkening sky where stars had just begun to appear, twinkling calmly above. He didn’t regret a thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll be going back to check in on Sophie and Katie next week. Or you can peek over at Patreon for the next five chapters if you can't wait that long. Have a good day, everyone.


	35. Face to Face

Sophie ran a hand through her disheveled hair, swiping some of the grimy locks back off her face. She had been far too distracted by the events of the past few days to have bothered with proper hygiene and she was in rather desperate need of a shower. She’d pulled her hair up into a ponytail two days ago, but between her frantic pacing and sleeping upright in a chair, most of her hair now fell around her face in sweaty clumps and the elastic was barely hanging from the back of her skull.

She couldn’t be bothered to fix it. She glanced at the phone still clutched in her hand. Dr. Auldon had told her he could be to her in about an hour. She had made the call almost fifty-five minutes ago, and her nerves were shot as she watched the seconds tick by. She pushed herself out of her chair and moved by Katie’s side once more. Her daughter’s breathing remained labored, mechanical. The steady tone of the life support equipment filled Sophie’s ears and drowned everything else out. She had brushed Katie’s hair earlier – although it was now getting to be quite late – and now she tucked one of the loose strands back. She was worried about her daughter developing bed sores like this, but was too afraid to attempt moving her on her own.

She felt tears begin to burn in her eyes again as her gaze wandered over Katie’s pale, prone form. Her skin was gaunt, sunken in over her bones and had taken on an ashen shade. She was losing far too much weight to be healthy and Sophie wanted desperately to get her on a high calorie diet to help rectify it, but she was no longer certain Katie would wake, or that the scientist who hurt her would not simply whisk her off regardless. She could not imagine him caring enough to nurse Katie properly, just so long as she lived; quality of life would likely not matter to him beyond that.

Sophie bit her lip and gulped as a heavy lump rose in her throat. The sound of the machines was overwhelming, and the sight of Katie’s crippled body was too much. She turned quickly and fled the room. She pulled the door shut behind her and then leaned against it. She slid down the wood until she was hugging her knees. Burying her face in the denim of her jeans, Sophie broke down into heavy sobs once more. Her heart was squeezed painfully in her chest, and her throat had tightened until air whistled past her lips with every breath. She felt like she was being closed in on from all sides, and had to wrestle to keep her panic on a tight leash.

“Miss Brooks? Miss Brooks, are you alright?” Sophie barely registered the voice or flurry of hurried footsteps until there was someone crouched down in front of her. There was a warm hand resting on her elbow, and Sophie stared ahead into the face of one of the guards at the front gate. Austin, she recalled. His coffee skin sparkled with perspiration – it was a hot day, she reckoned though she had not been outside – and his face was wrinkled with concern.

Slowly, she nodded and he rose back to his feet and offered her a hand.

After a moment, she reached out a shaky hand and took his. He was a rather burly man, so it was no surprise when he easily tugged her to her feet. She stumbled and then he was grabbing her other arm to help hold her up until she regained her balance.

“I’m alright,” she assured him in a watery tone as he continued to hover in front of her. “It’s been a hard day, but I’m okay.”

“Do you need a few minutes? I can maybe distract your guest for a bit until you feel more composed?” he offered.

For a split second, Sophie was confused before what he was saying dawned on her. She had informed the front gate that Dr. Auldon would be coming, but had requested that someone escort him down to her when he did arrive. She hadn’t wanted to leave Katie long enough to go wait for him to get here. She peered around Austin to get her first look at the monster who hurt her baby. He stood taller than her, but not by too significant an amount, with a balding head and tufts of black and gray hair fanning over his ears and continuing further back around his head. He had a pair of glasses that were slumping a bit on his nose, and he regarded her with a calm, almost bored expression.

That surprised her. After their earlier conversation on the phone, she would have expected a more triumphant or mocking look at her currently distraught state. He was tapping one foot impatiently against the tiles of the floor though, and that made her anger bubble a bit more. He was hiding his entitlement, but he was doing a rather poor job of it.

She sighed and clenched a fist at her side before releasing a breath and forcing herself to relax. He was dressed in a business suit, and was carrying a single briefcase, and this was her territory more than his. She still had a few advantages, and getting hostile or defensive first would not aid her situation.

She gently waved away Austin’s offer. “I will be fine,” she assured him as she quickly wiped her eyes. “Thank you for showing him down, but I’ll take it from here.”

Austin dipped his head and stepped back. “If you need anything further, just give the front a call,” he offered.

She nodded her thanks and watched him retreat back down the hall before she stepped up to the scientist still lurking about. She gritted her teeth and swallowed down the burning hatred scalding her throat long enough to offer him her hand. “Dr. Auldon,” she greeted. She tried to keep her tone civil, but failed to remove the edge from her voice entirely. “Welcome.”

“It’s good to meet you in person, Miss Brooks,” he agreed as he accepted the hand and squeezed it a bit too firmly for a friendly handshake. “I must say it seems I’ve caught you at a particularly low moment.”

“Forgive me if I do not live up to any expectations,” she replied tersely. “This has been a trying time.”

“I imagine so,” he agreed with a solemn nod, but there was a grin tugging at his lips that caused Sophie’s eyes to narrow. She couldn’t quite understand what he could possibly find so amusing. “But you have not struck me yet, so I suppose as far as expectations go, you have surpassed them.”

“Believe me, I want to,” she hissed back, her decorum faltering. “But that won’t exactly help my daughter.”

“No, it won’t.” Dr. Auldon’s tone remained casual as he plucked his glasses off his nose and rubbed the lenses with the corner of his gray tie. After a moment, he replaced them on his face and pushed them up on the bridge of his nose before he refocused on her. “Speaking of, I was under the impression we were on a pressing timeline, Miss Brooks?”

Sophie sighed and nodded. “Yeah,” she agreed as she waved her hand for him to follow. Her feet felt heavy as she led him back to the door she had previously collapsed in front of. She hesitated for a moment. It was far too late to change her mind now, but the second she opened this door, he had access to Katie once more, and that gave her pause.

Finally, she grasped the handle and pushed the door open to lead him inside. It was not a very large room, and the medical equipment tending to Katie took up over half the space along with the bed, but there was still more than enough floorspace for them both.

Sophie averted her gaze away from Katie, unable to stomach looking at the frail state her daughter was in at the moment. Instead, she regarded Dr. Auldon for his expression. The twitch of the grin that had been on his face earlier had now slipped and was replaced with a pursed frown. His eyebrows knitted together as he approached Katie with his hands behind his back. Her fin was flopped uselessly on the end of the mattress, the color having faded to a purple-gray over the vibrant shade it used to be, and the membrane had begun to flake and peel. The scales on her tail were now more fist sized patches dotted across than a proper plating, and the cracked skin beneath was mottled and yellowed. The rest of her skin was ashen and sunken in over her bones, and Sophie had dressed her in a loose tank top so that the numerous wires dipping beneath the collar wouldn’t be hindered, but she no longer had enough scales to preserve her modesty, and Sophie refused to have this doctor in to examine her child in that condition.

He was standing at her side, and Sophie tensed – but made no move to stop him – when he reached out and brushed his fingers over one of the small patches of scales. Another of the dulled purple plates came loose under his touch and he picked it up. After applying a bit of pressure, it snapped in his fingers.

“I don’t understand this level of deterioration,” he muttered. “We kept a close eye on Katherine’s vitals during her transformation and for months afterwards. It was highly successful, and her body thrived in the water better than we could have anticipated. For her to be reduced to this state, this quickly…it doesn’t make any sense.”

“We’ve done everything we can think of,” Sophie admitted. Her fingers clenched into fists once more and she struggled behind the man’s back, but a broken strangle laced her words instead of the bubbling anger. “The bloodwork has always been clean. Her levels keep dropping, despite giving her supplements, but there’s no sign of a virus or infection. We were thinking it could be a parasite, perhaps, but we can’t find it and antibiotics haven’t done a thing. She just kept getting worse and worse.”

“What makes you suspect a parasite?” Dr. Auldon inquired as he turned back to face her once again.

Sophie shrugged. “I honestly don’t know enough about medicine to tell you. But if I had to gander a guess, I would imagine that pulling her from a sterile, controlled lab environment to the wilds of the ocean opened her up to the risks of infections, diseases, and parasites. Since we can’t find an infection or proper signs of a disease, a parasite was our next logical assumption because it’s clearly taking everything from her body. Whatever it is, it’s aggressive.”

“It’s possible,” Dr. Auldon agreed. “I’d have to run some tests. I do hope you see now, the foolishness of your brash actions Miss Brooks. Katherine was safest back in her enclosure, where her water was filtered, and her diet controlled. She should not have been exposed with her untried immune system.”

Sophie growled softly and shook her head. “I would argue she’s safest with people who love her, rather than those desiring to exploit her and perfectly willing to harm her in the process. I may not be a doctor, but I know malnourishment when I see it, and neither of them were healthy when they got here.”

“And yet, here we are,” Dr. Auldon countered. He turned to face her, and his hard gaze was stern and neutral, making her feel rather like a scolded child. It was not a feeling she cared for, and Sophie lifted her chin as she stared back. “Do not misunderstand, Miss Brooks, it sounds like you did your best to take care of our mermaids – that was a lovely home by the way – but they really are better off in the care of those who know enough about them to look after them. They are delicate, complicated animals. I understand you did not have anything to do with stealing our assets, but the right thing to do would have been to call us right away to come collect them.”

“Don’t you dare patronize me,” she hissed. “You don’t get to lecture me about the right thing to do, when you’re the reason my daughter didn’t come home one day. You kidnapped an innocent teenager and made her the victim lab rat for your pet genetics project. Your illegal experiment, might I add. And you physically and psychologically tortured two children all for the sake of what, a tourist attraction? I am not in the wrong for trying to protect them from you.”

Dr. Auldon blinked slowly and seemed completely unfazed at her words, despite Sophie’s clenched fists and powerful shaking. It was taking every scrap of her self control not to lunge at the cocky man. “If you’re quite done with your little fit now,” he replied. “We can continue this little ‘right and wrong’ contest later. There are more pressing things right now. Has the littler one been showing any signs or symptoms? Did you isolate them?”

Sophie wanted to hit him. She really wanted to hit him, but instead she forced herself to take a breath and refocus on what really mattered at the moment. “No,” she replied with a shake of her head. “Luna was fine the last I saw her. We tried to keep them distanced at first, but they’ve become rather dependent on one another and it wasn’t possible to keep them completely separated. But she’s shown no signs of becoming ill.”

“Then I would probably rule out anything contagious,” Dr. Auldon stated as he turned back to Katie for a moment. He pushed some hair out of her face and carefully turned her head to the side. “You say her gills haven’t been working?”

“We thought maybe the water would help her,” Sophie began. “But her gills opened and oozed a yellow-green pus, and she started coughing up water. She nearly drowned. We stopped trying after that.”

“It’s so bizarre,” he muttered. “In all the years we had Suzie, she never showed any signs of something so drastic. The occasional stomach bug or light cough, but nothing extreme. And that she’s not showing symptoms...she would have been the one of the two I would have suspected would have grown sick being re-exposed to the ocean. Her immune system would not have been properly developed because she was so young when she was brought to our institute. She’s fine?”

“Thriving physically,” Sophie replied. “She’s been gaining the weight she needs and started to get more energetic. It’s been good for her,” she added with an edge. The man was not getting Luna back, no matter what Sophie had to do to protect the younger Mer. The last thing the traumatized child needed was more time in unethical captivity.

If he noticed her veiled warning, Dr. Auldon didn’t acknowledge it. “Do you have a lab here? I’ll need to run some bloodwork for myself if I’m going to get an idea of what’s going wrong.”

Sophie sighed and brought a hand to her head as she rubbed her temples. The stress of the day was beginning to give her an impressive headache. Though she supposed it could have just as easily been the lack of sleep. “Yes,” she replied. “Two doors down. It’s nothing as high tech as I’m sure you’re used to, however. We don’t exactly have need of a bunch of high-grade medical equipment and machinery.”

“Never mind that, I simply need to be able to accurately analyze a blood sample,” he explained. Sophie watched him set his briefcase on the chair she’d been essentially using as a bed the past few days. He clicked the latches open and then withdrew a capped, empty syringe. Sophie watched him carefully as he uncapped it and swabbed the point with a sterilizing wipe. He drew a vial of blood from Katie’s IV, but it seemed to take a little longer than it should have to fill. Sophie did not know how to accurately read the EKG machine, but she knew Katie’s heartbeat was growing weaker with every hour. Her daughter probably wasn’t going to last much longer and Sophie was beginning to think it would be a miracle if she even did live long enough for Dr. Auldon to implement a cure.

Once she was certain that the vial of blood was the only thing he wanted from Katie, she allowed herself to look away and grabbed a folder off the bed. It was sticking out a bit from its place half-tucked beneath the pillow. She handed it to him. “This might help as well. It’s the results from all the tests run so far.”

Dr. Auldon grunted his thanks and flipped it open to silently peruse the pages. After a few moments, he closed the folder and shook his head. “I wish you had called me sooner. With this level of deterioration, I don’t know if she can fully recover at this point,” he stated. He flipped the folder open once more as if to double check something. “Credit to your veterinarian, however. These tests are very thorough. However, there’s one thing missing from here that I would like to check on with this sample. Show me this lab of yours.”

Though she was reluctant to leave Katie again for any length of time, Sophie knew the man needed to be able to run his tests. She had asked him to come here, and however much she loathed him and feared the situation would spiral out of her control; it would have been for no reason if she did not allow him the means to do his job, and she did still desperately want him to heal her daughter.

With a reluctant sigh, she led him back down the hall and indicated the door. It required an access pass, so she swiped her own card for him, but lingered in the doorway rather than following him inside. There was nothing she could do in there, and she would rather stay where she felt at least slightly useful. “I’m going to remain sitting with her. I trust you can find your way back?” she inquired with a quirk of her brow. She knew he could, Katie’s room was still in sight, but it made her feel a little better to get to be just as condescending right back. That feeling didn’t last long, however, as her feet itched to rush back to her daughter.

“I’ll manage somehow,” the man responded dryly.

Sophie nodded. “Just don’t wander,” she ordered. She didn’t give him a chance to respond before she turned and practically fled back to her daughter’s side. Katie hadn’t changed, was still deathly pale and small looking beneath all the life support, but at least the beeping of the machines was still steady. For better or for worse, Katie was still hanging in there. Sophie chewed her lip as she sunk down into her chair once more. “Well, we’re in the thick of it now, Kid,” she sighed. “I’m starting to think perhaps I made the wrong choice, but when you’re a parent, your mind looks for every possible option, every possible action to protect your child. You’re adopted, Katie, but you’re still my baby and I love you dearly. Whatever happens, forgive me for not letting go, okay? Maybe one day you’ll understand what this feeling is like, although I hope you’re never in a position as bad as this ever again.”

She reached out a hand to cup Katie’s cheek and began to gently stroke over the skin with her thumb. There was no reaction from her daughter, and Sophie did not anticipate one, but it felt better to have contact.

Sophie found her mind wandering aimlessly, and she stayed that way until the door swung back open and signalled the scientist’s return. Sophie jerked from her thoughts and lurched to her feet as he entered. There was a puzzled look on his face as he gripped the readings of his blood tests, and his frown only began to deepen. “It makes no sense,” he muttered.

“You can’t find anything either?” Sophie pressed.

Dr. Auldon glanced up at her as though he’d forgotten she was even there. “No, I know what is causing her body to fail, what I don’t understand is why. I suppose it’s something we’ll have to worry about later. Tell me, where is the little one?”

Sophie shook her head. “Not here,” she replied. “You’ll never see her. I’m not handing that poor child back to you so that you can continue to abuse her again.”

Dr. Auldon shrugged and set the papers aside. “Well then, Miss Brooks, it’s been a pleasure, but I’m afraid I can’t help you. Without Suzie, what’s left of your daughter is going to die. I can save her, but not without the genetic soup housed in Suzie. The very same that we used to create her, she needs again now, and I can’t make it without the spinal fluid of the blue mermaid.”

Sophie’s heart plummeted and she swallowed a thick lump in her throat. That couldn’t be the case. She couldn’t have taken that big a risk for nothing. “I don’t understand…” she murmured. Tears welled in her eyes and she hated that she was showing such a weakness in front of this man. “What exactly is wrong with her?”

Dr. Audlon sighed with exasperation as though she were an idiot child pestering him with a million pointless questions. “How do I put this in… simpler terms-”

“I’m not stupid,” Sophie hissed. “Just tell me.”

The scientist raised a hand to rub the corners of his eyes, pushing his glasses up as he did and then letting them flop back into place on his nose. “Within Suzie, and we assume within most Mer, there is a special genome we call the Omega gene; it’s what we used to transform Katherine.”

“She’s mentioned,” Sophie agreed. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yes, well, the thing that needs to be understood is that it is more than simply a piece of their blueprint. While there is a genetic tag, a chromosome if you will, that we are referring to, there is also a hormone and a count that we classify under the same name for simplicity because they are inherently all the same at a composition level, just with different jobs. The chromosome is part of the genetic map, the hormone helps them function, and the body consumes it additionally much like we would protein or sugar. When the Mer body is stable, there is very little consumption that goes on, and they produce what they need naturally through their diet. Except your daughter, who does not. We believed we gave Katherine enough excess based on Suzie’s consumption rates to last her life, but it appears we miscalculated. For whatever reason, she’s become unstable and her body is quite literally eating itself in search of a sustenance she cannot produce. Imagine it like burning through fat stores when unable to eat, except there was very little fat stores to begin with, and now her body is consuming muscle, bone, and scale alike in search of what it needs.”

“So she’s starving,” Sophie attempted to sum up.

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Dr. Auldon agreed. “And the only meal that will sustain her, comes from the spinal fluid in Suzie. You understand now why I need my younger specimen in order to save this one’s life?”

Sophie did understand, and she swallowed as a lump rose in her throat; it didn’t help. She bit her lip and felt tears begin to water in her eyes once more. Her fingers curled in and out of fists and she closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and grit her teeth. She had made herself a few promises before she allowed herself to go through with this desperate plan. When she reopened her eyes, she met Auldon’s gaze firmly and surprised herself with the steady tone of her voice despite how shaky she felt. “I appreciate you coming all this way and going through the trouble,” she began. She paused long enough to walk around the cot Katie was laid out on. “But you might as well go now. Sorry, but I will not be bringing Luna here. I made a promise to my daughter that no matter the sacrifice, that little girl would never see the inside of your institution again. I won’t go back on that now.”

Taking another breath as she steeled herself, Sophie felt more tears begin to flow as she bent down and reached towards the plug of the life support cable. It was time to let go now like Katie had begged her to do, several days ago now. It broke Sophie’s heart, and she knew her next action would haunt her for the rest of her life, but she forced her fingers to wrap around the plug.

“What are you doing?” Dr. Auldon demanded, though his tone was calm and not at all concerned like Sophie had expected it to be.

“What I should have done instead of calling you,” Sophie admitted. She bit her lip. Despite herself, she was hesitating. She took another breath and decided to give herself to the count of three. This was hardly like pulling off a Band-Aid, but she needed to treat it as such or she would never go through with it.

 _One_. She heard Dr. Auldon’s footsteps clacking on the tiled floor as he began making his way around to her. She ignored his approach. She could pull the plug faster than he could stop her anyways.

 _Two_. The sound of her own drumming heartbeat began to drown out the rest of the world until it felt like she was trapped in a roaring vortex. Her throat closed and she was certain she was going to be sick by the end of it all.

 _Three_.


	36. Sacrifices

_One. She heard Dr. Auldon’s footsteps clacking on the tiled floor as he began making his way around to her. She ignored his approach. She could pull the plug faster than he could stop her anyways._

_Two. The sound of her own drumming heartbeat began to drown out the rest of the world until it felt like she was trapped in a roaring vortex. Her throat closed and she was certain she was going to be sick by the end of it all._

_Three. The door opened and Sophie looked up._

* * *

Her fingers were still wrapped around the head of the cord, and Sophie had already begun to pull when the sound of the door swinging open pulled her attention away for a fraction of a second. The small distraction was enough, and Sophie physically felt the blood bleed from her face as she froze and stared with widened eyes at the doorway. The doorway and the blonde, wheelchair bound girl in it. 

Sophie’s heart stalled in her chest. What was she doing here? She couldn’t be here, not now of all times. Sophie opened her mouth, but only a small croak left her throat as she attempted to speak. Riley’s hair was strewn about her shoulders, dripping water over the over-large t-shirt she had pulled on. It was rumpled, and Sophie imagined the teen had thrown it on hastily, as the blanket Sophie had left with the chair down by the underwater entrance was also full of folds that hung off the sides and barely concealed her scales.

Riley’s light blue eyes fixed on her first, and while her brows were narrowed with concern, Sophie thought she could see a glimmer of relief shining in the icy irises. Sophie felt anything but.

Then Riley’s gaze flicked to the scientist and darkened like a sudden tempest. Just as quickly – and rather impressively – her features softened to an almost professional indifference and her focus returned to Sophie. “I finished the analysis on the tissue samples,” she reported. “I was hoping Dr. Patter was in to perhaps look over my work? Will he be back today?”

The inquiry stunned Sophie for a moment – her brain was still trying to catch up to Riley’s sudden arrival in the first place – before she caught onto the ruse and shook her head. “No,” she replied, finally having found her voice. “He won’t. But now’s not a good time,” she warned.

It was too late, of course, as Dr. Auldon had already turned to examine her. “And who are you?” he inquired with interest lacing his tone.

Riley’s smile widened and she extended a hand towards the scientist. “Carmen,” she replied without missing a beat. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Carmen is one of Lewis’ interns. Fifth year in marine microbiology. She’s interning here while studying the buildup of toxins in marine mammals. Carmen, this is Dr. Auldon.”

Riley smiled and dipped her head at the man.

“You look a little young to be starting your masters already,” Dr. Auldon observed.

“Looks can be deceiving,” Riley replied.

“Yes they can,” Dr. Auldon agreed. “Did you go for a swim on your way over?”

Riley glanced down at her soaked shirt and sopping hair. “Oh, no,” she said as she waved a hand as if waving away the notion. “I had to go by the dolphin tank. Their new routine is coming along well, but…I guess I got too close.”

“So, it would seem,” Dr. Auldon hummed, though his tone was dry.

A frown replaced the civil smile on Riley’s features. “I am sorry but working at a marine park tends to come with the hazard of getting wet occasionally. If it bothers you-”

“Oh no,” Dr. Auldon placated. “Not at all. It is only water. No, a wet shirt hardly bothers me, but being lied to does. Carmen, was it? I would have sworn you went by Riley.”

Up until that point, Riley had been smiling and speaking with carefully curled lips. She never could conceal her long fangs properly, but once Auldon spoke, Sophie watched in horror as Riley’s lips pulled back into a wide grin that flashed the ivory incisors clearly. “True,” she conceded. “But given the circumstances, you can hardly fault me wanting to decoy my identity.”

Dr. Auldon had already started to step towards her, and Sophie straightened up, hastening with the desire to put herself between the scientist and the Mer. She was too late, however, as the scientist grabbed Riley firmly by the face and bent to meet her gaze. “You’ll come to learn I’ll fault you for whatever I want, and you’d best be honest and obedient,” he warned.

“Let her go,” Sophie growled. Shockingly, it was Riley that held up a hand to stop her.

“It is alright, Sophie,” she said calmly. That same hand came up to catch Dr. Auldon by the wrist, and Sophie saw her fingers curl so her long nails were digging in. “Careful. I am not six years old, nor am I a frightened human girl with no idea how to utilize the natural weapons of our bodies. You are outmatched this time, and I would love nothing more than to tear your throat out.”

“Then why haven’t you?” Dr. Auldon countered.

“Because I need you to save my friend,” Riley bit back. In one fluid movement, she ripped her face from his grasp and nodded towards Katie’s prone form.

“We were just discussing the problem with that,” Dr. Auldon told her.

“I know. You want Luna. She is not here, and I will kill you before I let you get your hands on her again.”

“Then we are at the same impasse,” Dr. Auldon shrugged.

Sophie sighed and tightened her grip around the cord she was still clutching. “Riley,” she spoke firmly to catch the Mer’s attention. “Go home. _Please_.”

“Yes,” Dr. Auldon agreed. “Go and show me where your little nest is. I’ll find it eventually, might as well speed up the process and keep the family all together.”

Riley bared her fangs and pulled her lips into a warped snarl as she hissed at him. Sophie had always found the sound intimidating, but the scientist didn’t so much as flinch.

“Miss Brooks, I would advise you to step away from that plug now. I understand your desire to protect your daughter by giving her a peaceful death, but I assure you; if you pull that plug, diplomacy flies out the window. I cannot spare her in the field without Suzie, but given some time back at my own lab, I may be able to get her body functioning again. If not, she’s still valuable for her autopsy, but either way, I will be wanting my subject back alive.” Dr. Auldon’s gaze was firm and hard as he stared her down. Despite the threat in his words, Sophie despised how nonchalant his demeanor seemed, with his hands folded casually behind his back. He made no move to step towards her or actually stop her, as if he just expected to be obeyed.

She wanted to yank the cord free just to spite him and spare her daughter further indecencies, but diplomacy was crucial with Riley in the room. Taking a shaky breath, she reluctantly released the cord and took a few steps back away from the wall. As she did, she glanced at Katie’s face and was slammed with the jarring mental image of her daughter’s limp body flayed out on an autopsy table. It was her breaking point and the room spun. A soft whine left her lips and her knees buckled from under her.

“Sophie!” Riley’s panicked tone broke through the haze descending on Sophie, but only barely. Then she heard a loud bang, and Riley was on the floor beside her in a few seconds.

Hitting the floor had jarred Sophie, and her vision was still swimming, one shaky arm barely supporting her upper torso while her legs splayed out beneath her.

Riley’s hair and skin were still wet, but she was warm and sturdy, and when her arms wrapped around Sophie, the woman didn’t protest slumping against her slightly. Riley didn’t seem to mind. If anything, her grip hugged tighter. A rumbling hum rose in Riley’s throat and Sophie could feel it vibrating in her chest as Riley maintained a tight grip.

Though she still felt woozy, the strange purr was helping calm her a little, and Sophie took a breath as she bit back tears. “I’m okay,” she promised the Mer in a soft whisper. Riley only hugged her tighter in response.

After a moment, the blonde teen pulled away and twisted to glance back at the scientist, who Sophie finally noticed had not moved or seemed to care in the slightest. If anything, his only focus was studying Riley’s brightly colored tailfins as they lay flopped on the tiled floor.

Riley cleared her throat with a sound that was more like a growl than anything. “That thing you need from Luna…it exists within all of us?”

“Theoretically, yes,” Dr. Auldon replied as he crouched down over Riley’s tail. “Fascinating,” he murmured. He reached out a hand and Riley responded by tugging her tail up close to her body so that her fins were out of his reach.

She growled again. “So, you could take it from me instead?”

“No,” Dr. Auldon refused. “That would be incredibly risky. You are an entirely different genetic host and there is no telling what drastic reactions Katherine’s body could have.”

“Luna and I are related,” Riley pointed out. “And I am closer in age to Katie. Surely if you are willing to use the blood of a twelve-cycle Mer in a sixteen-cycle human, then that of one only a cycle older should be preferable, yes?”

“I don’t think you understand how genetics work,” Dr. Auldon responded dryly. “I would only consider it if you were identical twins, and you aren’t.”

When Riley frowned and her brows furrowed, Sophie gently squeezed the girl’s shoulder. “It’s more complicated than simply matching blood types, Riley. Katie already has two strands of DNA woven together. What Dr. Auldon is trying to say is that it’s dangerous to add a third, regardless of similarities. You would have to be virtually identical to Luna for it to work.”

Riley nodded. “I understand what he is saying,” she agreed. “But I do not understand the reluctance to try. Dangerous is not impossible, and she is dying either way.” Riley’s eyes were wide and glistening as she spoke, and then she twisted back to stare at Dr. Auldon. “Her scent is that of sickness and death, and while I do not know how the machines are sustaining her, I know that they will not for very much longer. If you truly do wish for her to live, what is the harm in taking the risk? The worst that could happen is it kills her, yes? That is the guarantee if we do not try.”

Sophie nodded and rubbed Riley’s shoulder. There was a lump rising in her throat at Riley’s insistence. Spinal fluid extraction had to be an excruciating process, and Riley had not known Katie for very long. “Is it possible? If there’s a chance, we should take it. It’s just a question of whether or not you can do it.”

Dr. Auldon sighed and shoved his glasses up onto his forehead to massage his temples. “Theoretically, yes. Getting Katherine on an IV of omega fluid should support a physical recovery. We have found the Mer DNA to be far more dominant. It will take over with no trouble. The risk lies in whether the DNA of this Mer will be stronger than Suzie’s. If it is, given her radically different physique, it may force more extreme mutations that will either warp and debilitate Katherine, or cause her to perish entirely. If it isn’t, then it should simply act as a booster, much like a blood transfusion. Either way, it may be too late for a full recovery.”

“You’ve come all this way to get her back already,” Sophie reminded.

There was a long lapse of silence between the three of them, broken only by the sound of Riley’s scales sliding over the tiled floor as she shifted her weight. “I’ll need to do some bloodwork,” Dr. Auldon said finally. “And a physical examination.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “More lying still?” she groaned. “Fine.”

Sophie shook her head and gathered the Mer up in her arms. The wheelchair she had previously been sitting in was pushed against the wall and fallen on its side. It must have happened when Riley launched herself out of it earlier.

Instead of bothering with it, Sophie plopped her down in the wooden chair she herself had been using the past few days. “Just sit still and let him do what he needs to,” she requested softly. She tucked a stray strand of Riley’s hair back behind her ear and then stood up and backed out of the way. Dr. Auldon had set his briefcase down on a corner of the bed Katie wasn’t occupying. He opened it and pulled out a stethoscope first.

Though she was hovering purposefully to hopefully make Riley feel a bit more secure that someone was watching over her, Sophie could see the nervous expression on the Mer’s face. While the scientist was prepping, Sophie stepped forward again and leaned close to press her forehead against Riley’s. The Mer’s eyes closed and she hummed softly.

“Just relax, I won’t leave you,” Sophie promised. She spoke so quietly, she was surprised she even spoke at all, but she knew Riley had heard. Then she hooked her fingers into the bottom of Riley’s shirt and carefully pulled it up over her head. She needed to grill the teen later to find out how and why she was here, and ensure everyone else was safe, but she couldn’t do it in front of Auldon. For now, she simply gave Riley a look that told her they needed to talk later. Riley blinked slowly, then dipped her head once.

Dr. Auldon cleared his throat, and Sophie reluctantly stepped aside. The man knelt down in front of Riley and pressed the end of the stethoscope to her chest. “Take a deep breath,” he instructed her. “You know how to count?”

“Yes.” Riley’s response was bitter, and Sophie did not blame her. She hated how casually Dr. Auldon seemed to treat a girl – who had just held an intelligent conversation with him – like she was an animal with little more intelligence than an infant.

“Then take a deep breath and count to five before you exhale. Do it silently,” he ordered firmly.

Riley rolled her eyes, but obeyed. Sophie watched her chest expand, and a few seconds later, her breath whooshed out in one rapid huff. On his instruction, she did it again.

“Your heart is stronger than your cousin’s,” he reported in a dismissive tone as though he was not truly talking to her.

Regardless, Riley leaned in close with narrowed eyes. “Perhaps that is because I am more active and did not spend my growth years underfed in a tank too small to move in,” she hissed.

Dr. Auldon’s features split into a wide grin and he reached up to pat Riley on the head. “That’s right, such a clever little fish. A more active mermaid is going to have a stronger heartbeat. But wild mermaids are more prone to infection and injury than those housed in a safe, secure environment,” he taunted in a condescending tone while poking the large scar on Riley’s hip.

The Mer flinched, and then bared her fangs and growled. “Because no injuries ever befell my cousin,” she retorted with enough venom in her tone that Sophie flinched back too. She understood Riley’s rage; Luna’s life was a horror story come true.

“She lived in a controlled environment with some of the best medical care available; she never faced any dangers such as bleeding out in the water because she got into a fight.”

“Enough,” Sophie cut in. She’d had more than enough of the scientist and she wanted nothing more than to throw him out so she would never have to look at him again. But while she knew she needed to let him do his job, she did not have to allow him to make a mockery of the Mer sacrificing part of herself to save another. “Please, Dr. Auldon, we are on a time constraint. Just get what you need.”

“Patience, Miss Brooks. I would like to properly evaluate the health and strength of this mermaid before I put her at risk to save a condemned one.” He grabbed one of Riley’s arms and began squeezing the bicep, pinching every few centimeters as he worked his way down the arm. “Good muscle tone,” he observed as he passed the elbow and continued down.

Riley squirmed slightly and while she did not protest, Sophie observed the look on her face indicated she would much rather pull away.

Dr. Auldon frowned when he reached the middle of her forearm. “What’s this?” he muttered. He began stretching the skin as he probed with a finger. After a moment, a small bit of his fingernail dipped into a grove and Riley hissed sharply and yanked her arm from his grasp. “An injury?”

“No,” Riley growled back as she rubbed her arm. “A pouch, and not for fingers.” She continued to rub the skin for a moment longer, and then stretched her arm back out. The skin flaps parted slightly as her spines raised up out of them, stretching the vibrant membrane into view as she flexed it.

“Ah, I was wondering about those. I’d heard them mentioned a few times. You were supposed to have another set, were you not?” he probed as his eyes began wandering her tail.

Riley shifted her weight and sighed. The scaled ridges running down the sides of her tail rustled and then began to pull away. Sophie always found it interesting how perfectly the membrane of her gliders folded up against her tail, covered by the scaled ‘arm’ that stretched their length. It acted as a perfect protection against the delicate fins.

“You are going to make a fascinating subject to study for sure,” Dr. Auldon decided. He reached back into his briefcase and removed a tourniquet and a syringe for the blood sample. Riley was frowning from his comment, but she stuck her arm out towards him without being prompted. Sophie suspected she did not like having him give her instructions. Her spines on this arm were still pulled in, but Sophie didn’t miss how the other set was flexing open and closed. She winced. She’d come to read some of Riley’s body language, and the girl was nerve wracked. Sophie hated that she was under so much stress.

If the scientist noticed her anxiety, he didn’t seem to care as he tightened the blue rubber band around Riley’s upper arm. After a quick swipe of a cotton swap, he pricked her with the needle. Riley kept her gaze glaring at the scientist as he drew blood, but Sophie thought she looked a little ill. She could probably see the needle in her peripheral vision, and Sophie knew how squeamish stitches made her.

Thankfully, Dr. Auldon moved with clinical speed and efficiency, and before Sophie could step forward to distract Riley, he’d already tugged the syringe free from her flesh. Still, Sophie came around Riley’s other side with a cotton ball from the small jar she’d found earlier beneath the little sink in the room. She pressed it to Riley’s skin – where the teen hadn’t seemed to notice blood beading up where the needle was removed – and gave her a backwards half-hug as she did. She could feel the tension in Riley’s shoulders and it made her mind up for her on what to do in the situation.

“I’ll have to get the readout on this,” Dr. Auldon decided. “If it all looks clear and good, I’ll do the extraction when I get back.”

Sophie nodded once, but didn’t answer him. He knew where he was going, and she didn’t want to leave her girls alone.

He didn’t seem to expect her to tag along anyways, as he’d already walked out before Sophie would have had a chance to stand back up properly. Once he was gone, she darted around the chair and tugged Riley forcefully into her embrace. “What are you doing here?”

“I came back to-”

“Oh no,” Sophie wound up cutting her off as a realization struck her. “No. You track people, not places…Your family…with everything going on, it didn’t even occur to me that you would try to follow me and-”

“Sophie.” Riley’s calm tone cut through Sophie’s rant and she paused to glance at the Mer. “They are fine. Your friend found us. They are with Luna now.”

Instantly, Sophie sagged with relief. At least there weren’t more Mer in danger. “Wait, if they’re with Luna…you knew then, what was going on? Why did you come, Riley? Why did they let you come?”

Riley grinned cheekily and puffed out her chest. “Come now, Sophie,” she teased. “Did you think they could have stopped me?”

“It’s not funny,” Sophie replied sharply, though she felt a squeeze of guilt as she watched Riley’s smile falter. She didn’t want to yell at the girl, but she was truly cross with her. “This is dangerous, Riley.”

“I know,” Riley agreed solemnly. “But I had to come. I could not simply sit and wait while a big part of my family was at risk.” There was a fiery determination flickering in her pale blue gaze that made Sophie’s anger falter for a moment. Riley was reckless and headstrong, but she was far from stupid and her bravery was commendable.

Sophie sighed and swiped some hair off her face. “It means a lot, Riley, that you care this much and that you want to help. But the best thing you can do right now is to get out of here before he comes back. Putting yourself in danger too only gives them one more Mer to take back with them. Please don’t make me worry about you too, okay? Come on.” She lifted the wheelchair up from where it was still fallen against the wall. If she was quick, she might still be able to smuggle Riley back out the way she had come in.

“No.” Riley’s voice was calm and firm, but it felt like the first crack of thunder from an approaching storm. Sophie tensed as she turned back to see the girl shaking her head. “I will not leave, Sophie. You heard what that man said. If I leave, Katie is going to die. I will not allow my friend to die because I was too cowardly to face a risk.”

Sophie bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut as they began to sting and fill with more tears. “She’s already gone, Riley,” she gasped, her chest heaving as she forced the painful words out. “I just couldn’t accept it. But I should have – she begged me to – and I won’t let her death also bring the capture of you too. You need to go. Please,” Sophie’s voice broke and died in a whine as she pleaded with the stubborn Mer. She knew there was no way she could physically keep Riley from coming back, she needed to hope reason would get through to her.

There were tears glistening in Riley’s gaze too, and she reached out a hand to grasp Sophie’s wrist. “If there is a chance, I am going to take it. She means too much to you, to Luna, and I would have the chance to know her better. I am staying.”

Sophie’s heart sunk into the pit of her gut and her shaking legs gave out once more as she sagged back to the floor. She shouldn’t have pursued this option; it was only going to cause more harm than good.

She heard the chair creak as Riley slithered out of it and Sophie embraced her again. “Okay,” she finally caved. “I guess I don’t really have a choice but to let you try. But Riley, you need to promise me that after the extraction – at the first opportunity – you will get away. You cannot stay here. If she survives, Katie’s only protection is that they need at least two of you. With you here, they can cart you both off and hunt down your family later. You have to go as soon as you can.”

Sophie jumped as Riley began to laugh. It was a sinister chuckle laced with a grim, bitter sorrow. “No, Sophie. That will not protect her, it will condemn her.” Riley untangled herself from their hug and her warped expression fixated on Sophie. “They will take her either way. I think you already know that. They need two of us for their attraction – their tank and performances – in order to appease your people. But they do not need two of us to keep her. They will haul her back to their labs and she will be what Luna once was. Especially after this collapse. They will want to know how and why her body faltered this severely. She was created for their marine park, but it would have prevented them from studying her then; they will not blink to do so now. Now that they have one, they must have two. _That_ is her only protection now,” Riley explained with a sad shrug.

Sophie’s heart was pounding in her chest as she listened. Her lips parted with dismay. It was likely all true. “You already knew that,” Sophie whispered. “You didn’t come here to check up on us.”

Riley shook her head. “I did not know you would need me to make her better, but I knew what would happen if they succeeded in healing her. I know what being here means, and it is a consequence I choose to accept.”

Sophie shook her head. “You know if you do this, you’re selling yourself into captivity. I don’t know what they’d do to you or when we would be able to get you back out. You’re claustrophobic and wild and energetic. You would be in a bad way trapped in a tank.”

Riley smiled then, her ivory fangs flashing brightly. “I am also a survivor. I will make do, and they will not find me quite so easy to control as a frightened girl or a helpless child. They need two, Sophie. They need two, and I will not let the second be Luna. I wish Katie could be spared the fate as well, but it is too late now for that. But I will protect her from a worse fate. It will be okay.”

There was a long pause before Riley leaned in to hug her again. “All my life I have been viewed as reckless and foolish, and it is true that I sometimes have the habit of leaping in without thinking or living on a whim. Luck alone has saved me more than once. I know that. But this is one time that I am not acting recklessly. I knew the dangers and the certainties before I left, and I am not afraid of them. I have thought it through, and my decision is set. Trust that this is for the best. Trust me.”

Sophie pulled Riley closer and squeezed until she heard Riley wheeze slightly. She didn’t loosen her grip – couldn’t – as she hugged the Mer and pressed her nose into the side of Riley’s neck. “You stupid, foolish, selfless…”

Riley hummed. “I love you too, Sophie,” she whispered. “It will be okay.”

Sophie ground her teeth so that she wouldn’t burst into loud sobs. “When this is all over, I am locking you away where you’re safe and can’t cause me any more panic attacks,” she threatened.

Riley hummed again. “And we will play chess all through the seasons. That sounds nice,” she agreed, though Sophie didn’t miss the broken strangle in her tone. She didn’t expect it to ever happen. More tears streaked down Sophie’s cheeks, but she shook them off and pulled Riley just a little bit closer. For now, this moment was all that mattered.


	37. Life Fluid

Riley grunted as Dr. Auldon tugged the restraint tighter. Her breathing was puffing from her lips in soft gasps that made Sophie grit her teeth. Riley was lying on her front on a gurney too small for her – it was meant for smaller aquatic mammals and her tail drooped freely over the edge – while the scientist strapped her down firmly.

“Does it have to be so tight?” the girl complained.

“If you move even a fraction of an inch, the needle could break in your back and paralyze you,” Dr. Auldon responded. He moved to tighten the strap curved over the butt of her tail next. There were only the two belts, the other over her shoulders, but it was tight enough that Riley’s skin was beginning to roll over the top of the leather, and she didn’t have much excess body fat to begin with. The only thing keeping Sophie from loosening the strap herself was that Dr. Auldon was right; if Riley wiggled and jarred the needle, she very well could find herself drastically injured.

“Paralyzed…like a stunned fish smacked with a tail?” Riley inquired. Her brows had dipped together in confusion.

“Not exactly, Riley. He means that if you move when he puts the needle in, you could damage your spinal cord and be unable to move most of your body; permanently,” Sophie explained.

“Tighten it,” Riley agreed. She lowered her head until her cheek was resting on the table, but there was a wild look in her eyes. Her pupils had shrunk, and she was glancing around as if unable to settle on anything.

Sophie stepped forward and took her hand. She laced their fingers and squeezed gently. “Just breathe,” she whispered. “You’re being very brave.” When Riley didn’t answer, Sophie glanced up at the scientist. “Just get it over with.”

The scientist adjusted both straps once more and then set to work soaking a cotton wad with rubbing alcohol. Sophie’s nose wrinkled at the strong smell, but Riley didn’t seem to notice. Her breathing was growing ragged again, and Sophie hoped it wouldn’t lead to a panic attack.

“Hang in there, Riley,” she encouraged as Dr. Auldon swiped the cotton swab over her spine between her shoulder blades. He then reached a hand into his briefcase once more and returned with a thick, tan colored piece of rubber that had straps on either side.

Sophie fumbled to catch it as he tossed it to her with no warning. “You’re going to want that,” he advised.

Sophie grimaced, but she knew he was probably right. She knelt down to get closer to eye level with Riley, and held the rubber chunk up to her lips.

“What is that?” Riley whispered with a panicked hitch in her voice.

“You’re going to want something to bite,” Sophie explained. “It’s going to hurt.”

Riley grimaced and pressed her lips. She didn’t look keen on the idea, but opened her mouth and bit down on it regardless. She was pale, and her one hand was quivering as it hung down over the gurney.

Sophie smoothed down her hair and then reclaimed her grip on Riley’s shaking hand. “Deep breaths,” she soothed. “We’ll have you up soon, okay? Try to stay calm. Dr. Auldon, I know this needs to be done carefully, but Riley is claustrophobic, so the sooner we get these restraints off, the better.” She fixed the scientist with a pointed look as she reminded him.

To her surprise, instead of challenging her, he nodded. He picked up a rather odd, thick looking needle with no syringe basin. Sophie frowned. “That doesn’t look like it’s for a spinal extraction.”

“I’m putting a faucet in. Consider it like an IV tube. It will make the extraction easier and I’ll only have to prick her once so long as she’s still and it goes in the first time,” he explained. He laid a hand on the small of Riley’s back. “Relax your muscles,” he instructed.

Riley had squeezed her eyes shut, but it didn’t seem like she’d heard the scientist, and she was anything but relaxed. Sophie shifted her grip on Riley’s hand to slide along her arm until she found the pocket for Riley’s fin. The Mer had her spines tucked away at the moment, but it seemed to be the skin that itched rather than the fin itself, so Sophie began to massage at it and gently scratch her nails over the skin.

It only took a few seconds for Riley to relax – albeit only slightly – and a weak hum resonated in her throat. Though she loathed to be on the same page as the man who hurt her daughter, Sophie nodded at Dr. Auldon once Riley had slumped a little more.

The man returned the gesture and leaned forward to press the tip of the thick needle into Riley’s spine, between two of the vertebrae just beneath her shoulder blades. Riley’s initial grunt quickly became a whine of pain that slipped through her gritted teeth. Her fingers curled around Sophie’s wrist until she could feel the Mer’s nails beginning to break skin.

Ignoring the pricks, Sophie continued to rub Riley’s arm. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “Hang in there.”

She watched Dr. Auldon screw a thin tube into the tap, and then he pulled the needle back through and away. At first, nothing happened, and Sophie grew concerned that it wasn’t working. Dr. Auldon didn’t seem concerned, however. He picked up a small hand pump and squished the gray ball between his fingers. It certainly had an effect, because Riley jerked in the restraints and hissed loudly.

Knowing better than to be too close, Sophie stepped back as she studied the Mer’s narrowed pupils. The girl’s lips had parted to show the tips of her fangs and her nostrils were flaring wildly.

There was a yellowed fluid beginning to run down the tube now and it made Sophie frown. “I thought spinal fluid was supposed to be clear,” she stated. “Should we be concerned about that?”

The scientist shook his head. “We were concerned the first time we did a spinal tap on the blue mermaid, but we screened her thoroughly. It’s just the color for the species.”

Sophie nodded. She was relieved it didn’t bode ill for Riley – she wasn’t sure she could handle both of them being dangerously sick – but now that she was reassured, she was no longer interested in the scientist. She leaned down to pet Riley’s soft blonde tresses. She ran her fingers through the hairs over and over, and then gently squeezed the Mer’s shoulder. “Do you want to sit up, Riley?” she inquired. She glanced at Dr. Auldon as she spoke as a silent confirmation that the girl could. He pressed his lips and nodded, though the motion seemed reluctant.

Sophie wasted no time in unbuckling the tight leather straps holding Riley down, and then carefully helped the girl upright. “Are you okay?” she pressed.

Riley’s face had scrunched into an obvious mask of pain. Her brows were furrowed over deflated eyes, her nose wrinkled up, and blood was beading up around one fang where she was biting into her lip.

“Hey,” Sophie whispered as she squeezed Riley’s shoulder again. “Riley?”

The girl took a breath, and – on the exhale – she forced a half smile. “I am okay,” she agreed in a quiet, strained voice. “It feels weird; it hurts, but I am okay.”

There was a small wooden stool in the room they were in, so Sophie pulled it over and took a seat. “Thank you,” she said as she folded one of Riley’s hands into her own.

Riley’s false smile lifted into something Sophie would almost consider a real one and she dipped her head. “I wanted to help,” she reminded.

“I know,” Sophie agreed. “But still, this is not a minor thing you’re doing. It’s appreciated.”

Riley’s pale gaze twinkled brightly, but whatever thought process was going through her mind, she didn’t share.

They sat in silence for a moment more, but Riley was beginning to look incredibly pale and it pulled a frown onto Sophie’s face. “Riley?” she spoke the girl’s name again.

Riley shook her head as if trying to clear it and frowned too. “I-I do…not…I do not feel very well,” she admitted, stumbling over her words and shaking her head once more. Her voice sounded hoarse, and she coughed moments before her eyes rolled back in her head. She shuddered and then collapsed, and Sophie barely lurched off the stool in time to catch her to keep her from toppling off the table.

“Riley!” she exclaimed.

“Relax,” Dr. Auldon sighed with a worn expression and an unamused roll of his eyes. He stepped forward and began fiddling with the IV in Riley’s back. “She’s fine. Her body is experiencing a minor crash due to the sudden loss of nutrients.”

“How is that fine?” Sophie hissed as she held the mostly limp Mer in her arms. Riley’s eyes were still rolled back and her jaw was slack, a thin trail of drool leaking from her lips.

Instead of answering, Dr. Auldon ignored the question and remained focused on disconnecting the hose from the faucet in Riley’s back. He capped it off and sterilized the area with an alcohol wipe before beginning to wrap up the tubing and secure the half-full bag of spinal fluid.

Sophie forced herself to remain patient as he worked, though every fiber of her being urged her to wring his neck until he took this seriously. After a moment, he reached back into his briefcase and pulled out a fat, rounded equivalent of a bottle. He tossed it to her, and Sophie fumbled and barely caught it. It was filled with a viscous purple fluid.

“Give that to her,” he instructed.

“She’s practically unconscious,” Sophie protested. “What even is this?”

“It’ll rebalance what she’s lost. She’ll drink it,” he stated with a wave of his hand.

Sophie pursed her lips. She wanted to argue, and she certainly wasn’t keen on the idea of giving Riley something when she didn’t know what it was, but with the girl a dead weight in her arms, she didn’t see much of another choice.

With a reluctant sigh, she pressed the tip of the container into Riley’s mouth and gave it a gentle squeeze. Whatever the concoction was, it worked like a charm because Riley reanimated instantly and began fervently guzzling at the fluid. Her hands rose and clung to Sophie’s wrist to hold the bottle closer until she’d drained the last drop.

Then her eyes opened, and she pulled away with a gasp. Her chest was heaving, and she swayed a little as she sat back on the table. “What was that stuff?” she inquired. Sophie’s watched her lick her lips. “And is there more?”

“Uhh…” Sophie glanced at the scientist for confirmation.

He shook his head. “Not for at least an hour. Too much isn’t good for them. She can have one once an hour.”

“Should she be having it that often if it’s not good for her?”

“It won’t hurt her,” Dr. Auldon replied. “But it’s a high concentration, so too much at once will overwhelm her system. When she no longer needs it, she’ll stop wanting it.”

Riley pulled the bottle out of Sophie’s hands and proceeded to pull the top off it so she could tip it back in search of any lingering drops. Sophie frowned at the odd behavior, but let the girl be for now. “What exactly is in that?” she inquired.

“It’s nothing more than a high concentrate of the primary nutrients contained within their diet. We can’t quite replicate the omega fluid – it seems only their bodies can generate that – but we’ve figured out how to synthetize the ingredients they require.”

Sophie’s frown deepened. “Should Katie be on that then?”

“To what end? She cannot produce the omega fluid and we’re not extracting anything from her. She doesn’t need it.”

“Maybe it’s not that she can’t produce it,” Sophie argued. “I never really understood what you meant earlier, but have you considered that a consequence of screwing with her genetic code is that she has a malabsorption?”

“I suppose it’s possible,” Dr. Auldon relented. He removed his glasses from his nose and wiped them with a small cloth from his pocket. When he readjusted them on his face, he regarded her with a new expression.

It looked like he was seeing her for the first time. For once, he didn’t seem bored or smug, rather intrigued. She lifted her chin and met his gaze intently. Thus far, he’d treated her like a fool and a mouse caught between a cat’s paws. And while she still felt cornered like the latter, she certainly wasn’t the former.

“It’s something to look into,” he conceded finally. “But there’s work to be done and little time to do it. I’m going back to your lab to process this.”

Sophie nodded. She wanted to supervise him, but she needed to get Riley settled and she wanted to check on Katie again more. She gently took the bottle off Riley and set it aside. “Are you okay?” she inquired.

Riley brought a hand to her head and nodded. “Yes,” she agreed. “I am sorry. I lost myself for a moment. I feel very dizzy…and hungry.”

Sophie pushed some hair out of Riley’s face. “That’s understandable. You need to rest, Riley. Let your body recover. Dr. Auldon left the shunt in and I think he probably means to take more spinal fluid. I don’t know if we should let him, but you’re definitely going to need to recuperate.”

Riley nodded. She shifted her tail and leaned forward until their foreheads were pressed together. “You are worrying too much,” Riley whispered. “Your stress scent is almost overwhelming. You are going to hurt yourself. You need to rest too.”

Sophie sighed. While she adored the Mer being in her life, their heightened senses were really becoming problematic. She couldn’t seem to hide anything properly anymore, especially from Riley, who knew how to use her senses. Despite her mild annoyance, Sophie couldn’t think of anything to say to explain or defend herself.

“Let us go to Katie,” Riley suggested after a moment of silence. “You cannot be in two places at once and I would prefer knowing what is going on.”

The Mer’s fins flicked and Sophie’s heart melted as she held her gaze. Despite her bravado and wild nature, Riley could be incredibly sweet and intuitive. “Alright,” she agreed. She wasn’t sure she should move Riley after everything that had happened, but Riley was stubborn and she had acted incredibly self-sacrificing. Previously, she would have insisted the girl take care of herself and rest, but Riley was not acting recklessly this time, and Sophie would be a hypocrite to insist upon it now.

“Alright,” she agreed. She turned her back and ducked down a bit. “I don’t want to risk jarring your back, so you’ll have to hold on.”

Riley was silent, but a moment later, Sophie felt her hands slide over her shoulders and clasp together around her collarbone. She heard Riley’s scales grate against the metal table, and a moment later, the long limb was curling around her waist. Sophie suppressed a shudder. She adored Riley and trusted her, but the motion felt a bit too much like a constrictor snake encircling its prey for her to feel entirely comfortable.

“Are you alright?” Riley inquired. Her voice was incredibly close now that she was hugging Sophie’s back.

“Yeah. Sorry hon,” she apologized. Her cheeks flushed and she shook the ridiculous fears aside. Standing back up properly, she wrapped her arms around Riley’s tail to help support her better. “Hang tight, okay?”

“Mhmm,” Riley hummed.

Despite the urge to rush back to Katie, Sophie forced herself to keep her steps slow. She didn’t want to cause Riley any additional discomfort. Thankfully the girl didn’t seem to be in too much pain as they made their way down the hall.

Back in the room, Sophie averted her gaze. Katie was as pale and shaky as before, and it broke her heart. Behind her, Riley hugged tighter and another deep purr rumbled against her back. It was just as soothing as the last time.

“How do you do that?” Sophie inquired as she carefully lowered Riley back into the wheelchair still perched in the corner of the room.

“Your heartbeat got erratic again,” Riley whispered. “I did not want you to collapse.”

The ‘again’ went unsaid as Sophie got her settled into the chair. “You’re sweet, but you should try to get a little rest. I know a wheelchair isn’t the most comfortable place to nap, but-”

She was cut off as the door behind her opened and she turned to watch the scientist come back in. He didn’t say anything as he walked around the far side of Katie’s bed and hung the IV bag on a hook. The liquid inside was now clearer, and almost had a bluish tinge to it.

“This will help?” Sophie clarified. She was ignored again as the man took Katie’s free hand and lodged a fresh IV connection into her. After adjusting the drip, he finally turned to her. “We’ll find out. Why did you bring that one back in here?”

“This one has a name,” Riley growled.

“I wasn’t leaving her unattended,” Sophie answered. She understood Riley’s anger, but an argument was going to get them nowhere.

The scientist grunted his acknowledgement, though Sophie suspected he didn’t truly care either way. He turned to the computer running the life support and typed in a few keystrokes. “This is a fool’s errand,” he grumbled. “Trying to administer an entirely new DNA strand into a compromised host bordering on organ failure, and doing it without a proper lab…I hope you’re prepared for a mess, Miss Brooks, because this is not going to go well.”


	38. Small Comforts

Riley flicked her fins as she watched the scientist shuffle around. He was pressing several buttons on the various machines Katie was hooked up to. Riley narrowed her eyes at him. While she knew he probably did not intend to hinder Katie’s recovery, she did not trust him and wanted him to know that she was watching him.

“Is there any particular reason for the prolonged leering?” he inquired in an unimpressed tone. His back was to her, and she growled at how unconcerned he seemed. She was not the type of predator to underestimate.

“Just a reminder,” she growled.

“Oh?” He finally turned to gaze at her with a cocked eyebrow. “A reminder for what?”

Riley’s fins flicked in irritation and she curled her lips to bare her fangs. “A reminder that you breathe only so long as she does,” she hissed as she nodded towards Katie.

The man began to chuckle and he took a step forward. “I can appreciate your loyalty, little mermaid.” Riley sunk low on the table and growled again as he got closer. He leaned down and shoved his face into hers. He had more impressive speed than she’d anticipated, and her growl turned to a surprised hiss as his hands lodged in her hair and yanked her head back. “But I don’t care for threats. You had best reconsider where your loyalties lie, because regardless of whether Katherine lives or dies, you have a new home waiting for you. One where you will either learn obedience or have it beaten into you. I don’t personally care which you choose, but I have a colleague who was very familiar with a member of your family. I’m sure he would be delighted to break you too.”

Riley glowered at him in response. Her spines flexed on her forearms and she was nearly consumed with a lustful desire to slit his throat and spill his lifeblood across the floor. It was almost overwhelming enough to haze her vision. How dare he idly comment about Luna’s trauma over the cycles as though it were a casual conversation topic rather than the unforgivable atrocity it really was.

Losing herself for a moment, Riley lurched forward despite the prickles of pain as her hair pulled. She dug the tips of her spines into his chest through the thick, rough material of his gray jacket, and leaned in close with a snarl warping her lips. She hissed at him and didn’t move, even when he grabbed her by the throat. If it was meant to be a warning, she did not care. She could end him long before he could choke the air from her lungs.

“There is no pain, no death I could inflict upon you that would rectify what you have done to my kin,” she growled. “But give me an excuse to try, I beg of you. You do not know our people, and your experiences have led you to lack a fear of us, but I will teach it to you.” She flared her spines and watched with satisfaction as the man winced and some of his composure slipped. His grip on her throat tightened, but it was not enough to fully impede her ability to breathe.

Before the man could say anything more, the door opened and Riley saw Sophie enter from the corner of her eye. The woman was carrying a metal bucket, but it slipped from her fingers as she seemed to register the situation, and the metal clanged noisily against the floor.

The bucket turned over and spilled water everywhere, also sending some oyster shells skidding across the tiles. “What is going on?” Sophie demanded as she hurried over.

In a single smooth motion, Riley arched her spine and wrenched her neck free of the scientist’s grasp in order to offer a smile to Sophie. She did not wish to worry her anymore than she already was. “Nothing more than a friendly heart to heart,” she lied.

“Oh yes,” the man agreed. He tried to sound smug, but Riley did not miss the incredibly satisfying wince in his tone. “We understand each other much better now.” There was a warning in his voice as he spoke, and Riley growled softly in response.

Reluctantly, she forced herself to let it go, and ripped her spines free of his flesh before coiling her tail to settle back on the medical cot they’d set up for her two days prior.

Sophie rose from gathering up the spilled shellfish and set the pail down next to her. “Hungry?” she offered. Then she regarded the scientist with a cold look that made Riley practically preen with satisfaction. There was little love or tolerance for the man from either of them. “There should be bandages in the second drawer,” she suggested. She jerked her chin towards the darkening bloodstains in his clothing. Riley flicked her fins to clear the spines of the worst of the ruby fluid coating their tips.

Her attention was drawn away from the man by her ravenous hunger. He had been keeping her on that purple fluid the last few days – even after removing the tube completely from her spine – and in that time, her belly had shrunk to a coiled knot. While she remembered the fluid previously tasting wonderful and igniting a more powerful craving than she had ever experienced before, the last time they tried to give it to her, it had been like trying to drink sand, and she had refused it.

The scientist had said it was a good sign, but now she was ravenous, and shellfish were among her favorite treats, so they held her undivided attention as she dug into the bucket and began snapping the shells apart to extract her meal. She hummed in content as the pleasing taste and texture.

“She really should be eating something more substantial,” the scientist commented off-hand. “Especially after an extraction like that, sardines or mackerel would be much better than shellfish. Fish is a leaner, nutrient packed meal, while those are just fatty treats.”

Riley paused in cracking another oyster open in order to stick her tongue out at him. Then she downed another fleshy tongue and grinned as Sophie began to laugh. “I’m not worried about Riley’s eating habits,” the woman scoffed. “She’s always been good about taking care of herself in that regard. Besides, with how active she normally is, she burns a lot of calories, a little extra fat reserves are good for her. What I don’t appreciate is a passive-aggressive temper tantrum from a grown man. Don’t be petty and petulant, and focus on what’s important please.”

Riley paused in her meal to glance between the two. There was a thick tension beginning to saturate the air and it made her scales prickle.

The scientist had frowned, and there was a muscle tightening in his jaw. “Miss Brooks, I understand that you feel you have a homefield advantage here, and that – for the moment – our interests are aligned. However, please do not forget yourself or your place, for it’s an incredibly precarious one. I do not work for you and I will not stand for taking orders from you in any capacity. I wonder if you truly understand the severity of the situation you have gotten yourself tangled up in.”

Sophie’s back straightened and her eyes narrowed, and even Riley felt the need to lean away from the waves of fury rolling off the woman. She knew Sophie was stubborn and firm, and a little intimidating, but now she seemed outright dangerous. “Yes,” she agreed in a low hiss.

“Then I would advise you to tread carefully. As of this moment on, your behavior and your…complacency will dictate your outcome from all of this. Whether you’ll find yourself in a position to see your daughter and your pet,” the scientist gestured at Riley and she snarled at the comparison, “again, or if you’ll be deemed a liability. You will not be given the chance to attempt a repeat of this little game. You have lost, Miss Brooks. Now you need only decide if you intend to survive the ordeal or not.”

Riley snarled and her back arched as the words left the scientist’s lips. It was one thing to threaten her, and even to mock her with Luna’s past, but to openly threaten Sophie – who had offered them all nothing but love and acceptance, who was breaking herself trying to protect them – was unacceptable.

“It’s okay, Riley,” Sophie soothed. She held up a hand and when Riley gazed into her bright green eyes, she saw a silent, pleading sorrow, and she realized Sophie already knew the game that was being played. Riley’s jaw clenched, but she reluctantly dropped her aggressive posture. “There’s no need to get upset, it’s okay. Dr. Auldon, is there a point to all of this or can we just focus on Katie for a moment? How is she?”

The silence that stretched was deafening, but finally the man turned back to the computer monitors. “It’s still too early to tell whether or not she’ll pull through or if there will be any consequences, but her body seems to be accepting the omega fluid at the very least. Her heart rate appears to be stabilizing. I don’t want to take her off the life support just yet, but Katherine’s body is beginning to breathe for itself. The machine will kick back in if her lungs falter again, but there is improvement.”

At his words, Sophie sagged with relief. “Thank goodness,” she breathed. Riley hummed her agreement, though she was still concerned about what was just said previously. It was not part of her plan to get Sophie killed. But that was something she was going to have to worry about a little later. She needed the scientist out of the room to discuss everything with Sophie properly. “And do you have any idea yet what might have caused all of this?” Sophie inquired. “Why she suddenly started shutting down?”

The scientist shook his head. “No. It doesn’t make much sense. Perhaps if I had been able to get an accurate study or evaluation at the time her levels started to decline, I would have an idea, but after the fact like this, I’m only able to witness the effects of the deficiency, not its source.”

Sophie sighed and walked over to where Katie was still lying prone. Riley looked too, and her heart sunk to once again see her friend in such a sorry state, with wires running all over her body.

“Hang in there, sweetheart,” Sophie murmured as she stroked Katie’s forehead to push some stray hairs off her face. “She looks a little less pale, at least.”

“Her scent is better too,” Riley added. She parted her jaws and leaned closer to Katie once more. She hated the thick smell of chemicals and machine bits, but beneath it was Katie’s. There was far less of the decaying scent of death lingering on her now. It was still faint, but Riley decided that would not be the best thing to report to Sophie. “Is she still shedding scales?” she asked after a moment. Mer did shed them, but not at this velocity or quantity, and it would be a good sign if Katie’s were beginning to grow back.

“I haven’t picked any up,” Sophie replied. She glanced over at the scientist who merely shrugged and shook his head.

Riley grinned. They had a lot to worry about, but it was relieving to know that – at the very least – Katie seemed like she was going to be okay, and the risks that had been taken were not in vain. Now she just had to focus on keeping Sophie safe as well.

“That’s good,” Sophie agreed as she nodded in Riley’s direction. “It’s really good.” As she spoke, Riley picked up on the deep exhaustion rooted in Sophie’s tone. It also showed in the dark circles surrounding her eyes – which appeared unhealthily sunken in – and in how her hands shook as she moved, and her posture was slouched.

“Sophie…” Riley trailed off as she dragged herself upright and curled her tail around her body to make more room. She gently patted the large space beside her on the cot. “We are okay. You should rest,” she pressed. She had not seen the woman do much more than doze upright in her chair for incredibly small intervals of time since she had arrived, and she suspected the lack of sleep had been ongoing longer still than that.

Sophie smiled softly, but her expression was also pressed and she shook her head. “I’m alright, Riley. You don’t have to worry about me, hon.”

Riley frowned at the slightly haunted look in Sophie’s eyes. The woman was suddenly twitchy as though she were a small fish cornered against a rock ledge and facing down a predator. It was then that she understood. Sophie was concerned about appearing weak in front of the scientist, whom she saw as a threat.

Riley could understand the worry perfectly, but she also knew Sophie could not continue to function for long without rest, and if something were to happen, the woman would need as much energy as could be afforded to her. Riley chewed her lip and decided to switch tactics. “Will you at least sit with me, then?” she requested.

Sophie’s head tilted and her brows furrowed with confusion, as if Riley had asked something incredibly bizarre. She supposed she had, since she rarely actively sought out or requested comforts or showed weakness or need of her own. Still, she certainly enjoyed proximity to Sophie, and the woman desperately needed to relax.

In hopes of swaying her, Riley smiled at her and stared unyieldingly. She had never truly understood the concept of begging with her eyes, but she hoped that perhaps it might work.

Sophie chewed her lip before seeming to cave – though Riley was not sure if it was because her silent pleading was successful or if it was simply Sophie’s maternal instinct driving her to respond – but Riley brightened as Sophie made her way over and sat on the cot. Riley snuck a glance at the scientist, but he wasn’t even watching them, so she leaned against Sophie and was immediately enveloped in a hug.

“You don’t have to try to take care of me,” Sophie whispered into her hair. Her voice was incredibly soft, and she was quite obviously trying to keep their unwelcome guest from overhearing. “I’ll be alright.”

Riley did not bother with a verbal response. Instead, she hugged Sophie back, and tightly. In part, it was because she genuinely enjoyed the woman’s presence – and also because the scientist’s comments earlier had scared her – but it was mostly to keep Sophie from pulling away.

The woman seemed fine with the hug until Riley began to purr. “Riley, no,” Sophie whispered. “I’m alright, I promise.”

Riley knew Sophie might get cross with her for this, but it was her turn to make sure the other was healthy and resting when she needed to, so she merely shook her head, tightened her hold, and deepened the rumble reverberating in her chest.

Instead of having the effect she wanted, Sophie tensed in her hold and her heartbeat began to accelerate. “Riley!” she hissed quietly. “Honey, I love you and it’s sweet that you care, but stop,” she ordered. “I know I tell you all the time that you need to take care of yourself and rest while your body is healing, but this is different. We’re not at home, we’re not safe, and I need to be alert.”

“I agree,” Riley murmured back. “But you are not alert. You are swaying on your feet and on the verge of passing out and it is scaring me. Please try to rest. I will watch over Katie while you do. I am not afraid of this man. He will underestimate me because it is all he has done, and you would be right here anyways. A scuffle would rouse you. Just for a little while…please,” Riley begged. She was surprised to find tears stinging in her eyes. “I need you to be okay,” she admitted finally.

Sophie sighed. “Dr. Auldon, would you mind terribly giving us a moment?” she inquired in a dry tone that clearly outlined how much she would accept a refusal.

“Of course not,” he replied. “I’ve been meaning to make a call anyways; check in and all that. Have your little moment.” Riley heard his retreating footsteps and the door banging closed, but she did not bother to look back.

“I really hate him,” Sophie growled. “Riley, talk to me, what’s all this about?”

“I do not want to lose you,” Riley whispered. “You do not know how much these last several moons have meant to me. How much you and Lewis mean to me, the gift you have given me…” she trailed off and pulled away long enough to wipe at her eyes. “I realized something when I was with my pod.”

“Realized what?” Sophie inquired. The woman pulled her legs up onto the cot and tucked her feet up close to her body with her knees jutting out, and then Riley had her full attention.

“I had a…interaction with Iliene,” she admitted.

“Iliene? Is that your mother?” Sophie inquired.

“Yes,” Riley whispered. “Technically. She has never really been a mother. But I realized something then. All my life, I always thought that what I needed – in order to truly live my life as myself and be happy – was to escape. Was to get away from my mother and find myself. But I realized on that trip that I did not need to get away from a mother…I needed to find her. And I am fully prepared for what my choice in coming here is going to cost me, I am. But I am not prepared to lose what it took me so long to find. I cannot lose you, Sophie. I _need_ you, and I need you to be okay.”

There was a watery sparkle to Sophie’s eyes by the time Riley finished, and the woman merely pulled her into a hug. She heard Sophie sniffle, but the woman did not say anything, so Riley merely continued as emotion swelled in her heart.

“I…I need you to know what you are to me, Sophie,” she whimpered. “I’m sorry that I do not call you mo- you are. I just…there is so many bad memories associated with that label that I do not know how to call someone else…I cannot, but you need to know-”

“I do,” Sophie cut her off. She began to stroke Riley’s hair and Riley hummed with content. “Honey, you don’t have to call me mom. I’ve never expected that of you, and it doesn’t make you any less a part of this family. Or any less my daughter.”

Riley’s heart clenched and she was too stunned to help or resist when Sophie dragged her into her lab and held her closer.

“This sacrifice you’re trying to make…it isn’t going to stick, I promise. We’ll bring you both home, Riley. And no matter where you are or what happens, you will always have a home and a family, and you will always be mine, always be loved and wanted, do you understand?”

“Yes.” She spoke quietly, unable to keep the strangle out of her tone. A sob built up in her throat and she squeezed Sophie tightly. “I promise I will never argue with you again when it comes to resting and healing. I will not give you a hard time about it, but please – just this once – let it be your turn. I can brave captivity and endure whatever plans they may have, but only because I have a family waiting for me. I know you will not leave us to protect yourself, but you need to be okay. Please.”

Sophie was silent for a long time, and Riley became concerned that she was going to refuse. “Alright,” she sighed finally. “You win. You’re relentless, but you’re right. I’m not exactly much help when I can barely see straight, am I?”

Riley’s laugh was warped with tears as she shook her head.

“I don’t know if I’m actually going to be able to sleep though,” Sophie admitted. “I’ll try, I promise, but there’s so much going on and it’s not in my nature to relax when those I love are at risk.” Even as she spoke, Sophie had released her hold on Riley and shifted into a reclined position.

Riley wiped her tears and dragged herself close until she was half sprawled over Sophie’s side. “Perhaps, but you have a Mer in your family,” she reminded. She wrapped her arms around Sophie once more and her purr returned. It started off soft and weak, and gradually grew to a deep rumbling once more.

“I suppose I do,” Sophie murmured in agreement. “Thank you. And I’m sorry; for worrying you.”

Riley merely hummed louder in response, and it wasn’t long before she heard Sophie’s heartbeat slow and her breathing even out. She could still sense the worries roiling beneath the surface, and she knew they would have to deal with whatever calls the scientist was making. She also knew she had to convince Sophie to let them go, and to disappear before the worst could come to pass. But for now, she continued to lay there, intent on keeping the closest thing to a proper mother she had sleeping so that she could recover.


	39. Subtle Threats

A steady, methodical beeping began to cut through the dead haze surrounding Sophie. She blearily reached out an arm and began to fumble for her phone to silence her alarm.

“What are you looking for?” Riley’s voice echoed in Sophie’s head and she lurched awake with a cough. She rolled over to find the Mer teen sprawled out beside her on the cot. Her scaly tail was curled around Sophie’s ankles and pressed up against her. It was warmer than she’d expected.

“I’m just trying to quiet the alarm,” she replied as she continued hunting for the device.

“Alarm?” Riley echoed.

Sophie nodded. “Yeah, the beeping,” she explained.

“Sophie…that is Katie’s machine, remember?” Riley replied.

Sophie frowned and then it dawned on her that she was not in a bedroom. Everything came flooding back and she pushed herself fully upright and turned to stare at Riley properly. The girl’s hair was a little messy and she looked a little pale, but otherwise seemed unharmed. “How long did I sleep?”

Riley shrugged. “It is hard to tell exactly how much time has passed in this room without windows, but at least a couple of days.”

“Days!?” Sophie choked.

“It is okay,” Riley assured her. “We are fine, and you needed it. I woke you a while ago to eat something, do you not remember?”

“Not at all,” Sophie admitted. “Where’s Dr. Auldon?”

Riley shrugged. “Actually, he has mostly left us alone after you fell asleep. I warned him if he woke you, I would take a hand off. I do not think he truly took me seriously, but he mostly comes in to change Katie’s fluid bag and check the machines. Someone else came in a little while ago with food. I did not know him, and he seemed shocked to see me. He was worried about you though; thought maybe I had attacked you. It got resolved, and everything else has been fine. The scientist took Katie’s breathing tube out. She looks a lot better, but she has not woken up yet,” the girl explained.

At the mention, Sophie’s attention drifted to Katie. Riley was right, she did look better. She looked a lot better. The heart monitor was droning steadily, but the rest of the life support had been removed. Her color was nearly back to normal and even the gray in her fin had begun to fade, being overcome with the original purple. Her tail still looked a mess, but it seemed like there were more scales on it now.

Sophie frowned at the sight of the restraints. One on each wrist and one going across her chest. “Did Dr. Auldon do that?” she growled. She slipped off the cot and moved to undo them.

“No, Sophie wait,” Riley called. She had leaned forward as if to stop her, and Sophie raised an eyebrow curiously. Riley shrugged. “I do not like it either, but while she has not woken, Katie has been tossing and turning in her sleep. He did that so she would not roll off the cot and pull her fluid tube out or hurt herself. It is probably for the best.”

Sophie sighed and nodded. She reached out and gently stroked Katie’s cheek with a thumb. She was desperate to see Katie open her eyes, to know that her daughter was going to be alright, but she also dreaded the very same. The moment Katie woke, life changed. She and Riley were in incredible danger and Sophie wasn’t sure she was going to be able to protect them from it. She’d need help if she was going to get them out of here, and Katie still needed to be hooked up to IV fluids and monitoring machines.

While she hoped that Dr. Auldon wouldn’t feel inclined to attempt moving them until Katie had fully recovered, she wouldn’t put it past the man to take that sort of risk.

Sophie paused in her cathartic motion. She may not live here anymore, but this was still her marine park, still her home, and still her staff who had known her for years as fair and kind. Many of them were always ready to offer help or support or well-wishes regardless of what was going on in her life, and she made a point to inquire and support their personal lives as well. She had come here with the mentality that she was on her own, but that wasn’t the case. Dr. Auldon had told her that perceiving she had the homefield advantage was irrelevant. But she hadn’t viewed it as a homefield advantage, just a last place she had to go, especially after Riley showed up.

But she did have that advantage, in more ways than one, and while she felt terrible at the idea of putting more people at risk, if she was going to protect her daughters, she needed to use every resource at her disposal.

Chewing her lip, she stepped away from Katie and glanced at Riley. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She really did feel backed against a wall and worried that she was perhaps behaving like a cornered animal rashly lashing out. She couldn’t afford to be hasty. “I don’t want to leave you two alone,” Sophie said slowly, pondering her words as she spoke. “But there’s something I should do. I won’t be gone long. If I lock the door, are you okay in here?”

Riley nodded immediately. “Of course. I will keep an eye on Katie. But you are not going to do anything that would put you at risk, right?”

It was certainly a different side of Riley to see her so cautious and concerned. Sophie found it rather distressing, knowing that it was only their current precarious situation and all their fears that was causing the behavioral change in the Mer. While Sophie often chastised her for being reckless or foolhardy and urged her to think and to take better care of herself, she loved Riley’s wild, energetic personality and never truly wanted her to change. Riley was smart, she did think, she just never seemed to care to live her life in fear. It was admirable, and Sophie loathed how that had been stripped from her now.

She stepped up to the cot once more and took one of Riley’s hands in both of her own. “Riley, you and Katie are always going to come first in my world, no matter what,” she began. When Riley’s lips parted to argue, Sophie cut her off by leaning close and kissing her brow. She shushed her softly. “I know what you’re afraid of. I’m scared too. But I’m more afraid of losing the two of you. It was very brave of you to confide all of your worries the other day, Riley. I haven’t forgotten them and I don’t intend to throw my life away. I really don’t. My daughters need me and I’m no good to them in the grave, and besides,” she paused to push some of Riley’s hair off her face. “I’d like to get to see you both grow up and start families of your own someday. But I need you to know that I will never choose myself over either of you, you understand that?”

“Yes,” Riley admitted, though there were tears watering in her gaze again. “But I disagree. They will not kill us; we are what they want. You are unnecessary to them and irreplaceable to me, and to Katie. Just this once, choose yourself. Katie is going to be okay, she is getting better and even if she wasn’t there is nothing more that you could do. Go. Please go. Go so that they do not have the chance to take you from us and so that there is someone we can depend on still out there fighting for us. Because you love us and we love you, please get away now, while you can.”

Sophie wrapped Riley in a tight hug. “Not just yet,” she refused. “There’s something I need to do first. I need to see if I can enlist some help. Katie does seem to be on the mend, and it probably won’t be long before she’s safe to move. I need to see if I can get you away from here before Dr. Auldon decides that he wants to move you.”

When she pulled away, she frowned at the sight of Riley’s expression. The girl had furrowed brows and something dark swimming in her gaze that Sophie couldn’t identify. After a moment, it cleared and Riley sagged.

“Riley? I promise you that all I’m going to do is see. If it’s not going to work or is too risky, I won’t do it. I’ll back off and disappear, and I won’t rest until the two of you are safe again. But I need you to trust me, yeah?”

“I do,” Riley replied. “I do not trust them. There is something more going on. I cannot quite figure out what it is, but there is something in the air that is making my scales crawl. Please be careful?”

Sophie nodded. “I will, I promise. If anything happens, you know how to use the call button?” Sophie pointed to the small device along the side of Katie’s cot. Once Riley nodded her confirmation, Sophie kissed the girl on the brow again and wiped at a stray tear. “Don’t cry. Be brave for me, okay? I’ll be back soon.”

She gave her another quick hug and then left. She made sure to turn her key in the lock and test the handle before she made her way further down the hall.

Loathe as she was to delay things any longer than necessary, Sophie knew she needed to make a stop upstairs. Several of the rentable apartments were still empty, and she was in desperate need of a shower. She couldn’t show up among her staff and colleagues looking a mess if she was going to maintain their respect and gain their assistance.

She took the stairs rather than lingering to wait on the elevator, and let herself into the first open room she came across. While the apartments were small, but nice, there was something a bit eerie about the desolate space she found herself in. Her footsteps echoed as she made her way down the hall. Because only a few of the apartments were used by employees and their families who needed to stay longer – most of the on-call rescue team primarily – the rest were offered to visiting partners; guest lecturers when they hosted seminars and day-class, out of area interns and graduate students, and businesses who sometimes rented space for hosting events. This meant they tended to stock complimentary necessities including non-perishable foods, clean sheets and pillows, and basic toiletries. Sophie made a note that she’d have to have this one restocked, but she was grateful it meant she didn’t have to hunt for soap or shampoo to clean herself up with.

She didn’t have any more spare clothes with her, so she tossed hers into the machine on a rapid cycle, then showered quickly and swapped them over to the dryer. While she waited, she brushed the worst of the tangles out of her curls so that it wouldn’t knot, and then got herself a glass of water. She also found some peanut butter and crackers in the cupboard, and while that was hardly something she’d consider a meal, she couldn’t run on fumes forever. After promising Riley she would take better care of herself, she forced herself to take a few moments to eat something. She only managed a couple before putting everything away. Her stomach was in a knot and while she knew it was the stress, food was only making her feel ill.

After retrieving her clothes and dressing, Sophie felt a little better about facing further challenges. She made her way downstairs and into the park properly. It was a busy day, with swarms of families marching their way along the various pathways to the different tanks and attractions. It dawned on Sophie that she didn’t even know what day of the week it was anymore.

It was a little frustrating, having to weave her way through the crowds rather than simply hurry along at the urgent pace she wanted to use, but it couldn’t be helped. In the back of her mind, she worried about Katie and Riley locked up in that room. She had the only key, had made sure that her staff knew that no one was permitted to enter if it was locked. Not without her. No one also included Dr. Auldon, but she didn’t trust the man at all, and couldn’t help worrying she’d overlooked something.

The first person she ran into on her frantic search for aid was the manager she’d put in place a few weeks ago. She nearly walked right by him in her frantic daze, but his face lit up when he saw her.

“Oh, Miss Brooks, hello,” he greeted warmly as he hurried over. This path was less crowded with park patrons, but there were still a few milling about. “I’d heard you were going to be here for a few days, but I’d thought perhaps you’d already left. Sorry if things have been a little noisy today – what with all the Lemuria workers unloading and all – but I wasn’t actually expecting you to still be here. Honestly, I didn’t anticipate seeing you again so soon regardless. I thought you mentioned you had some family issues to deal with.”

“I did. I do,” Sophie corrected herself. “It’s a long story…wait…what do you mean ‘Lemuria workers’?” Sophie demanded as his words sunk in and her heart began to pound.

“Oh, did you not get my email? I’m sorry. Isn’t it exciting though? The Lemuria Institution has rented space here for the next two weeks. The entire east wing of the science department in fact. They’ve paid us a very generous sum and I have them using the back gates to come and go so that the guests aren’t disturbed, but apparently there’s a really big project going on that they’ve needed local space for, and they came here of all places.”

Sophie felt physically ill as the man spoke. “Mr. Berthens, I-”

“Please, Miss Brooks, Elijah is fine,” he interrupted.

Sophie forced a smile. She liked the man well enough. He was competent and understanding, and had a background in marine research, so she was confident he had the park’s – and its animals – best interests at heart, but she was growing frustrated by the lack of answers. “Elijah, what is the name on the forms?” she asked, despite already anticipating the answer. She was going to strangle Auldon with her bare hands.

“Oh, umm, one moment,” he replied. He pulled out his phone and Sophie waited patiently as he checked. Or rather, as patiently as a rabid animal might. “Let’s see, the name of authorization is Dr. Richard Patron,” Elijah reported. His grin widened. “It’s amazing to think of a man like that being here. He’s got quite the prestige in his field. Apparently he worked on the research and care development of those mermaids that Lemuria rescued. Can you believe that such creatures actually exist? It still blows my mind.”

“Dr. Patron…” Sophie echoed as horror swept through her. She knew the name, and it was worse than what she had been expecting.

“That’s right,” Elijah confirmed. “Miss Brooks, is something wrong? Forgive me, but you really don’t look so good all of a sudden? Maybe you need to sit down?”

Sophie shook her head, both to refuse his suggestion and to jar her thoughts back to reality. “No, I’m fine. Can we get rid of them?”

Elijah frowned. “Get rid of them? Why would we want to? This is great publicity for the park. And besides, they’re already here and the contract is legal.”

Sophie growled under her breath and sighed. “Fine, whatever. Look, Elijah; I’m sorry for being short, but keep them to the east wing, alright? Those rooms I reserved off limits in the west are still just that, off-limits. I don’t care how much money or prestige they’re willing to throw at us, that area stays free of anyone that I don’t personally accompany, alright?”

“Of course, Miss Brooks,” he agreed. “I’m sorry if this has upset you, I thought you would be pleased.”

She forced another smiled. “You did nothing wrong. I’m sorry. It’s been a stressful week and I need the west wing for personal business, so I wasn’t anticipating having to contend with another institution also using the premises is all. Do you know where they’re congregating? I’d like to meet those in charge of their venture.”

“I believe Dr. Patron and a few of his colleagues should be down by the loading docks. They were moving in some equipment and such today. I really have to get back to the office, but did you need anything else? I really am sorry for the mix-up.”

“It’s fine, thank you,” Sophie assured him. Her heart was hammering in her chest. She couldn’t do this alone, but she hadn’t known Elijah all that long. So, while she itched to tell him the truth, she hesitated. He seemed so smitten with Lemuria that he might not understand. More than anything, she wished Lewis were here. Even before they got together, he was always the first person she went to when she had a problem. She missed him terribly now.

Elijah lingered for a moment, shuffling his weight and smiling awkwardly before he finally bid her a good day and shuffled off. She sighed. At the very least, it was a very public day and she was well known as the owner here. They couldn’t pull anything so long as she kept to public areas, and she needed to see what was going on for herself.

Turning on her heel, she began hurrying towards the docks.

Halfway there, she ran into Dr. Auldon, who smiled at her with that same smug expression twinkling in his gaze. “Miss Brooks, how lovely to see you up and about. You really shouldn’t push yourself so hard that you collapse like that; I was concerned for you.”

“Cut the crap,” she hissed furiously. “You don’t give a damn about me. What is your goon squad doing here?”

“Goon squad,” Dr. Auldon echoed. “Whatever do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean,” she snarled.

His expression morphed from mock confusion to a satisfied grin. “Ah, you mean the rented space? I assure you we’ve gone through all the legal channels. Everything was arranged with the manager you appointed. I hope there’s no problem, we’re not breaking any rules.”

Sophie’s fingers clenched into a fist and she growled through gritted teeth. He was right, with a signed contract there was nothing she could do to throw them out.

“I assure you, Miss Brooks, this is for the best. In fact, I thought you’d be pleased. Setting up camp here means you get a little more time with the mermaids. I’d much rather this than try to ship them back to America with Katherine in such an uncertain condition, wouldn’t you agree?”

Reluctantly, Sophie slumped and nodded. She couldn’t argue with him, as much as she wanted to. “I don’t like that you brought them here.”

“Of course not,” he agreed. “But it had to happen, Miss Brooks. As much as you openly choose to loathe me – as is your right – my hands are just as tied as yours. I’m not heading this retrieval, you know.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Walk with me,” Dr. Auldon suggested with a wave of his hand. Still, the look in his eyes told her she had anything but a choice. With another sigh, she followed him. “We really have gotten off on the wrong foot you know. While our opinions may differ, we both want the same thing; the wellbeing of those mermaids. Miss Brooks, you cannot truly think that a landlocked life is good for them? They need water to thrive, and the ocean is a dangerous place. It’s proven almost too dangerous even for the one who grew up in it, what of the two who have no experience defending themselves? And without knowing the cause of her decline, we have to assume it’s inevitable that Katherine will experience another such crash in her life. She is better off in the care of professionals.”

“You’re right, we do have differing opinions,” Sophie replied. “Because I think we both know that those girls were never, even for a moment, safe with you or that place. You abused them, tormented them, and physically tortured them to get what you wanted. They were underfed and traumatized, and that’s no life for anyone to live, tail or no.”

“Miss Brooks, I had no control over the younger mermaid’s fate those years she was alone with us. I personally do not condone the treatment she endured. Not truly. It was entirely unnecessary to break her spirit as completely as my colleague did. And I am grateful to you – and to your daughter – for pulling some of a long-buried personality back out of her. I don’t want a broken toy, Miss Brooks, I never did. Lemuria needs specimens that can obey, yes, but still retain the will to live. We may have been hasty with Katherine, but I’m sure you can understand the precarious position we were in with her. She needed to be taught her place quickly, and that required some…more forceful training techniques. Things will be different this time.”

“I almost wish I believed you, but I don’t,” Sophie replied. “What about Riley? You’ve already threatened her twice with the same.”

“That one is going to be a handful,” he conceded. “Intimidation can be a very excellent training tool, but I have no true desire to mutilate her either. They each have the opportunity to choose their own fates, Miss Brooks. Compliance is the best course of action, and I’d suggest you remind them of that.”

“I won’t help you,” she refused.

“Pity,” he replied. “Your cooperation would be valuable enough to spare your life at the very least. There’s no need for further bloodshed, Miss Brooks.”

Sophie didn’t bother with a response to that. She chewed her lip, thinking back to everything that had happened over the past several days. It had quickly spiraled out of her control. “Tell me something else,” she said finally. “That dietary concentrate that you had for Riley…I know you used our lab and supplies for later doses, but why did you have that first one with you? You couldn’t have known she was going to be here or that it would be needed.”

Dr. Auldon hummed in agreement. “I didn’t know,” he agreed. “To be frank, I didn’t anticipate using it on your mermaid at all, Miss Brooks. That was intended for the green one.”

“Green one?” Sophie repeated.

“Yes, the mother. Rachel or something yours said her name was?”

“Rebecca,” Sophie corrected. “Why would you need to extract spinal fluid from her?”

“For you,” Dr. Auldon replied.

He said it so simply, but it stunned Sophie to the point where she forgot to continue walking. He paused too, and regarded her calmly. “Me?” she repeated.

Dr. Auldon sighed. “Yes. Miss Brooks, it has not gone unnoticed that you have an incredible knack for garnering the trust of these animals. Katherine I can understand, but you seem to have also become a figure of safety and security for the little one, and for some reason, yours didn’t see fit to slit your throat and also grew to quickly trust you. Right now, you are an incredible thorn in our side and you pose enough risks that my board would rather have you six feet under as soon as possible,” he explained.

“So you’ve mentioned,” Sophie replied dryly. “What’s your point?”

“My point is that despite being an annoyance, you’re also a useful one. See, if we control you, we control three of five total specimens, and we do intend to collect all five. You could be an incredible asset to have in a tank.”

Sophie’s heart skipped a beat and she began to stammer as she attempted to speak. “You want to…make me a Mer too? Could you even?”

“Theoretically, yes,” he agreed. “Either you survive the transformation and can live out your days effectively silenced but with the creatures you’ve deemed your family, or you die in the process and were at the very least useful for further research. Either outcome feels far more useful to me than simply putting a bullet in your breast, yes?” He patted her on the shoulder. “So perhaps consider that before you do anything hasty, that you do still have a chance to live through this.”

Sophie shook her head. The man was insane, and she would prefer to keep her legs, but at least she knew he wasn’t intent on murdering her right away.

She wasn’t sure exactly why she was still following him, but when he resumed walking, so did she. “I’m glad I finally seem to have gotten your attention properly. It would be incredibly wasteful to kill you, Miss Brooks, but I can only sway my superiors if you’re willing to step back and allow us to do our work. I understand it’s difficult for you and that you’ve become incredibly attached, but this is your one – and I do mean one – chance to remain with them.”

“If I survive,” Sophie muttered pointedly.

The scientist shrugged. “There is a medium of risk, but we learned quite a bit from Katherine.”

Sophie didn’t bother justifying that comment with a response. They’d made their way over to the east wing of the sciences department, and Sophie hesitated as Dr. Auldon held the door open for her. “If I wanted you dead, Miss Brooks, I would have done it while you were passed out earlier,” he reminded her.

She sighed and stepped through the doorway. Things seemed relatively quiet. There were a couple of people milling about in the main area, looking at the various educational displays. Further down the hall, the employees only area had been sectioned off. Dr. Auldon began heading towards that.

“Where are we going?” Sophie asked finally. “I should get back to Riley and Katie now.”

“Soon,” Dr. Auldon replied with a wave of his hand. “I have an alert set up to her monitor. We’ll know if anything goes wrong with Katherine.”

As they continued walking, they came across a woman up ahead. Her back was to them, with her black hair braided back off her face, and she was issuing instructions to a rather lanky boy laden with heavy boxes in his arms. He scurried off as they approached.

“Ah, Miss Barnes, there you are,” Dr. Auldon greeted.

The woman turned and nodded at him. “Dr. Auldon,” she greeted. Sophie frowned as she looked at the woman, finding that she looked quite familiar. “Everything has been unloaded, Sir. We’re just in the process of getting some of the equipment set up now.”

“Good,” Dr. Auldon agreed. “I was just taking Miss Brooks down to see where we’ve set up. Reassure her a little. Will you accompany us?”

“Of course,” the woman agreed.

“I know you,” Sophie muttered with a frown. She struggled to place where for a moment before it struck her. Momentarily forgetting that she was no longer wearing it, Sophie’s hand came up instinctively to where her locket used to hang. This woman had brought it to her. Sophie’s eyes narrowed while the other woman merely grinned.

“Jenny Barnes,” she introduced, jutting a hand out towards her. “I have to say, I don’t love it here. Too much heat, really. Dry as a desert out there, but I suppose it’s an acquired taste? I didn’t really spend much time at this place last time – thankfully – but I have to say I’m almost impressed. This park isn’t half bad, at least, for one run by a hick from down under.”

“Excuse me?” Sophie growled. Her brow quirked with offense.

The other woman’s grin widened and she shrugged. “Don’t take it personally, really. I’m sure it’s considered quite lovely around here. We’re just used to something a bit more…professional. A bit more grand scale, that’s all.”

Sophie stared at the woman. She was amazed at her gall. Her name was familiar from Katie’s story too, and Sophie had never cared for weasely types.

Before she could respond, however, both of her unwanted escorts stopped in front of a set of double doors. Sophie glanced at the sign beside the door. It was one of their larger classrooms. They often used it for the science classes schools frequently brought through on fieldtrips. It was an odd choice, and worry gnawed at her gut at what she would find beyond. Equipment, probably, but she didn’t quite trust them. She glanced at Dr. Auldon, who gestured with a clear ‘after you’ motion.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sophie took a breath and strode forward through the double doors. Immediately, she pulled up short, and her heart stalled and dropped into the pit of her stomach. She was surrounded by holding tanks, and none of them were empty. In the middle of the room were two wooden chairs, and sitting in one of them, with wide, horrified eyes, was Lewis.

His arms were tied behind the chair – and his ankles secured to the front legs – and he jerked his body against the ropes when he saw her. “Sophie! Go!” he yelled.

Even if she’d wanted to react, Jenny and Dr. Auldon came in behind her, and Sophie felt the hard barrel of a gun dig into her spine. She stiffened instinctively.


	40. Gritty Details

For a few moments, time seemed to stand still as Sophie froze against the feeling of the weapon at her back.

“That’s right,” Jenny purred in her ear. “Don’t give me a reason to use this, because I actually think I might quite enjoy it.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Brooks,” Dr. Auldon spoke up. “But I hope you realize why we cannot simply allow you to wander freely anymore.”

The nose of the gun jabbed against Sophie’s spine and she winced. “Move,” Jenny ordered. “That chair is for you.”

She jabbed Sophie again and – not having another plan at the moment – Sophie reluctantly walked further into the room. Jenny kept pace with her as she made her way over to the two chairs in the room. When she reached them, she reached out and squeezed Lewis’ shoulder. She wasn’t sure what happened, but he looked horrified and defeated, and she needed to convey it wasn’t his fault.

She fixed Jenny with a glare as she turned to face the woman so she could sit down. As soon as she did, Jenny crouched down to tie her feet to the chair. Part of her wanted to strike the other woman, but with Dr. Auldon staring her down and all the different people she needed to protect currently in the room, she reluctantly waited for the woman to finish and then come around to secure her wrists behind the chair.

She used a zip tie, and it was tight against her flesh, but Sophie refused to give the malicious girl the satisfaction of knowing that it stung.

“Don’t worry too much, Miss Brooks,” Dr. Auldon said as he approached her. “As I told you, this is for the best. And I do promise to look into the future for you. Both of you.” His grin was wide and Sophie had never hated him more than she did in that moment. “You won’t be trapped here forever either. Just for now. But I will be needing your keys,” he insisted.

“Go to hell,” Sophie hissed.

“I’ll work on that, but first the keys, Miss Brooks. Unless you’re inclined to let the other two suffer without food or water? We’ll get the door open eventually, of course, but it will make things easier if you cooperate.”

Sophie growled in response.

“Such hostility,” Dr. Auldon scolded. “How about I rephrase it then…so long as you cooperate, I’ll make sure that everyone in this room – and the other two – are well cared for, perhaps almost even to standards you might approve of. Of course, you’re a very self-sacrificing individual, Miss Brooks, so if need be, I’ll take your lack of compliance out on them, you understand? Now, the keys?”

Sophie stared at him for a moment. She hated how backed into a corner she was, but she couldn’t tell if he was bluffing or not and couldn’t take the risk. “Pant pocket,” she sighed. Her shoulders slumped and she pulled at the ties as a clear indicator she couldn’t grab them herself.

Dr. Auldon grinned. “Good choice,” he praised. “Miss Barnes?”

Sophie gritted her teeth as the other woman shoved her fingers against Sophie’s hip into her pocket in order to pull out Sophie’s ring of keys. She tossed them to the scientist who caught them and pocketed them.

“We’ll give you some time to catch up, but I trust you know there will be consequences for any excessive noise, yes?”

Sophie looked away. Her fingers curled into fists behind her back as she fought to wrestle with her hatred and feelings of helplessness.

Dr. Auldon nodded as though her silence was answer enough for him. He turned to leave, and waved at Jenny who looked incredibly reluctant, but ultimately turned and walked through the door.

“Wait!” Sophie called just before Dr. Auldon left.

“Yes, Miss Brooks?”

“Riley…leave her with Katie, please? And don’t hurt her. I know she can be…stubborn, but she’s a good kid.”

Silence stretched after her request and Sophie’s heart squeezed with worry. Finally, Dr. Auldon turned to look at her. “I told you already that your compliance dictates my lenience with the _animals_ we are holding here temporarily. So long as that continues, Miss Brooks, she will only face repercussions or measures that she forces us to take. But I see no harm in leaving them together; I imagine a familiar face will be soothing for Katherine, and I have no desire to hinder her recovery process with panic.”

Sophie sighed. It was the best she was going to get, she supposed. “Thank you.”

The doors swished shut behind them and Sophie sagged for a moment before finally looking around. There were five tanks with Mer in them, which confused Sophie as she had only been expecting Luna and her parents.

She found Luna first. The young girl was curled up in a tight little ball despite her tank looking like it had just enough space at least for her to stretch out. She had her back to the room, so Sophie couldn’t see her expression. Beside her tank were two stacked on top of one another. The bottom one had who Sophie would guess was Luna’s mother, Rebecca. Her deep emerald scales sparkled in the light, and she was staring at Sophie with narrowed brown eyes. She didn’t quite look hostile, just wary. Sophie supposed she couldn’t blame her.

When she caught her looking, Rebecca looked away. In the tank stacked on top of hers was a male Mer Sophie assumed was the father, though she could not recall his name. He wasn’t paying much attention to any of them, instead slowly twisting around his tank with parted jaws as though searching for a way out. He continuously poked around the seams of the glass walls holding him in.

The two other Mer held Sophie’s attention longer. They were in two stacked tanks across from the others on the other side of the room. In the bottom tank was another male, though he was definitely much younger than Luna’s father. Strangely enough, they almost looked a bit alike. The boy had a slate tail that didn’t appear to have any scales, and thick red stripes curling around his waist. He looked like a shark with his thick, dark fin and large dorsal protruding from his back. There was fury blazing in his purple-gray gaze and he was anything but calm. His fangs were bared and he was making the most of what little space he’d been afforded to strike the glass around him with his tail. Each blow made a wet thudding sound that made Sophie wince.

The motion had to hurt, but the boy barely flinched before lashing out again. He was staring up at the tank above him, and seemed desperate to get to the girl within.

Sophie took a moment to examine her. She had soft brown eyes and bright sunny hair that was tangled around a spiked mane of fin crowning her head. Her scales were a vivid sunset orange and peach colored fins flicked in the water. She was curled up as well, with one arm curled around a swollen middle. Sophie also noted the strange, large translucent fins that sprouted from her sides along her ribs. They didn’t seem to match the rest of her and didn’t look anything like the other Mer fins she’d seen.

She didn’t pay that detail too much attention much, however. It was the way the girl was coddling her belly that concerned Sophie. Was she pregnant? It would certainly explain why the other Mer seemed so desperate to get to her. They were likely a mated pair.

Finally, Sophie twisted slightly in her seat to get a better look at Lewis. His hair was full of sand, as if there was a recent scuffle, and his eyes looked haunted and sunken in. Whatever happened looked like it maybe happened very recently, and Lewis didn’t appear to have gotten any rest. He looked away from her and wrenched at the ties around his wrists.

“Hey, it’s okay,” she murmured. She hated that he was blaming himself and the last thing she wanted to do was squeeze the details from him, but she needed to know. “Lewis, what happened?”

Lewis clenched his jaw and shook his head. “I should have seen it coming. But we were completely blindsided. It was before dawn. Riley had just gotten back the day prior and taken off, so Luna’s family stayed the night at the beach. They should have been in deeper waters, they might have been safer then, but Karina,” Lewis paused to jerk his head at the orange scaled Mer, “is pregnant. She was having a very hard time getting any rest because she’s terrified of us and that cabin isn’t exactly surrounded by ideal dwelling waters. I was worried about the baby, with how much stress she was under, so I brought her up onto the sand to use the weighted blanket.”

Sophie nodded. They’d given it to Luna a few times when her nightmares or panic attacks got particularly bad and she couldn’t seem to get them under control. It had always worked like magic, so she understood Lewis’ choice there.

“The boy’s name is Nero,” Lewis said. “He’s Luna’s brother.”

Sophie glanced once more at the dark, shark-like Mer and frowned. He was still beating at the glass and didn’t appear to be following their conversation at all. “I thought Riley said-”

“She didn’t know,” Lewis explained. “He returned to her pod after she’d left. She had no idea he was alive. But with Karina up on the shore, Nero stayed with her.”

“They are a pair then?”

“Yes.”

Sophie glanced back at the two Mer in question. Nero’s actions hadn’t changed, though there was a certain sag in his posture now, as though he was beginning to lose hope of shattering the glass holding him prisoner.

Karina was gazing at him with a tortured expression on her face, and her free hand was pressed against the glass floor of her tank with her fingers splayed.

After a moment, Nero looked up at her and his face scrunched with defeat. Sophie watched him raise his hand to spread his fingers against the roof where Karina’s was, and he pressed his forehead there too.

She looked away after that. It was breaking her heart to see the young couple so frightened and separated. When her attention returned to Lewis, he was still gazing at the two Mer as well. “Lewis?” she prompted.

He shook his head and turned back to her. “I spent the night out with them. It didn’t feel right to leave them all exposed at the shore while I was inside. Lemuria…they came with boats and vans. I don’t even know how they managed to sneak up on us quite so well, but the vehicle engines woke most of them and by that time, we were already surrounded by speedboats dropping nets in the water. They might have been able to jump them, but only Rebecca and Ixion were actually half in the water, and someone on that team is an impressive shot with a tranq gun, because it was over in seconds. Luna was already incapacitated, and Karina couldn’t fight or drag herself back to the water. And Nero fought before they sedated him too. There is a lackey out there missing a couple of fingers, and another with a broken arm, but he paid a price for it.”

Sophie glanced back at Nero. Now that he was still, she could see the long, jagged gash along his ribs and partway down his tail. It didn’t seem to be bleeding anymore, but it was likely going to scar. “How?”

“He attacked one of the goons trying to surround Karina. The guy panicked and pulled a blade. I don’t know which of them is more lucky that Nero wasn’t seriously hurt. But it gave them an opening to shoot him in the back. They didn’t sedate Karina. I think they weren’t sure if they could with her pregnancy, but it was almost worse for her. I tried to keep her calm, but she barely understands English and I wasn’t much use in the scuffle. Watching them box up the others, I think was hardest for her. I’m really worried about her health right now. We were kept where we were for a few days. They only loaded us all up and brought us here last night.”

Sophie nodded as she processed everything Lewis had told her. There were a few pieces that didn’t make sense. “What did you mean when you said Luna was already incapacitated?” she inquired. “Just that she was the first one they took out?”

Lewis shook his head. “No, they didn’t have to. She was already down for the count. When Riley left, Luna tried to follow her. She’s been having a really hard time being separated from Katie and apparently there’s a lot more there to unbox than we initially thought. It kind of blew up when we stopped her, and Lukshia sedated her.”

Sophie frowned. “Just like that? Why? Luna’s usually pretty reasonable if you just talk to her.”

“Usually,” Lewis agreed. “Not so much this time, she was really frantic and upset. But we had it mostly under control, I honestly feel Lukshia’s actions were entirely unnecessary and I wasn’t impressed. I don’t know what her plan was, keep her sedated until you and Katie came home or just didn’t?” He shook his head and Sophie frowned. She agreed it didn’t seem like the best resolution, and while she could understand the woman trying to neutralize a conflict, Luna was struggling so much with her identity that it was detrimental to keep removing her ability to choose or speak for herself. Sedating her rather than dealing with her left a sour taste in Sophie’s mouth.

“Where is Lukshia?” she asked finally.

Lewis shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean ‘you don’t know’?” Sophie pressed. Had the woman been captured and split up from them? It was concerning given Lukshia was technically the one responsible for ‘stealing’ Katie and Luna from Lemuria. She wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted revenge, and she hoped Lukshia was alright at least.

“We kind of got into it after she sedated Luna. She made a valid point that she’s only one person and we’re up against a massive corporation. I think Riley leaving really stressed her out, because it shattered the one already fragile solution we had to Katie’s condition. How is she, by the way?”

“On the mend,” Sophie replied. “Actually, Riley showing up saved her life. She would be dead by now if Riley hadn’t given her spinal fluid.”

“I’m glad that worked out, at the very least,” Lewis sighed.

“You were explaining about Lukshia?” Sophie reminded him.

“Right. She got pretty agitated and left after that. I assumed it was just to cool off and maybe do surveillance; you know how she is. But she didn’t come back, not that night, and not at all in the days following.”

“You don’t think she betrayed you? After all the work she’s put in?” Sophie queried with a sinking feeling taking root in her gut. Lewis didn’t answer, and the feeling solidified. “Lewis?”

Lewis shrugged. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I don’t know if she sold us out to save her own skin or if she bailed because it was too risky, and it’s just coincidence, but I don’t think we can hedge our bets on her coming to our rescue.”

Sophie chewed her lip. She didn’t want to believe it. Lukshia was rough around the edges, but she seemed like a good person. But she also really didn’t know anymore. If this last year or so had taught her anything, it was that the world was so much more screwed up than she’d ever imagined. “Is it possible she’s just biding her time? I mean, it wouldn’t have made much sense for her to rush in and get captured too if she saw what was happening.”

“Maybe,” Lewis agreed. “But how did they find us, Sophie? And so quickly? That cabin was off the grid, surrounded by uninhabited beaches and brush, and it’s far from any fishing zones. It’s treacherous to get to when you know what you’re looking for. I can’t see them finding us on accident.”

“And it would have penned you in with only one real exit route to block off,” Sophie sighed in agreement.

“What do you think?”

At first, Sophie thought Lewis had directed the question at her, but when she looked up, she saw him staring at Luna’s mother, who seemed to be the only one of the Mer watching them and listening in.

The Mer’s eyes narrowed, and she shook her head. Her lips parted in a hiss. Sophie winced. Rebecca certainly didn’t seem to have a lot of faith.

“Lukshia brought them to me,” Lewis added. “She used Riley’s chip, tracked them down and brought them back. I had no idea she was doing it, but she radioed me to help calm Riley down because…well, it’s Riley, you know.”

“I do,” Sophie agreed. The willful teen was far from complacent when she felt threatened or didn’t trust someone. If Lukshia showed up without either Lewis or herself to reassure Riley, Sophie wasn’t surprised there was some hostility.

“Well, Riley said something when I was explaining to her. That she didn’t like an ominous vibe or something that she was getting from Lukshia. I thought maybe it was just because Lukshia has that really elusive and confident way about her, and I told Riley just to trust me. Now I’m wondering if maybe I should have trusted her instead. She’s always been really intuitive and I shouldn’t have brushed it off if she told me she sensed something off about her. Maybe this could have been avoided.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Sophie assured him. “We don’t know for sure if Lukshia was involved, but even if she was, there was nothing more you could have done.”

“Maybe,” Lewis muttered. He yanked on his restraints again. “This sucks.”

Sophie hummed her agreement. She glanced around at the Mer in the room again. Karina and Nero hadn’t really moved from as close to one another as they could get. Nero’s lips were moving, and Sophie assumed he was talking to his mate, but other than a few high-pitched clicks, she could barely hear him. Ixion seemed to have given up looking for a weakness in his tank and had sunk to the floor.

Rebecca was staring at them, and Sophie offered her a grim smile. She had been looking forward to meeting Luna’s mother, and this wasn’t exactly how she’d hoped to do it. The Mer cocked her head in response, but her eyes were hardened with distrust.

Sophie didn’t blame her after everything that had happened, and she probably didn’t even really know who Sophie was. She would have loved to have a proper conversation with the Mer, but since she could barely hear Nero speaking through his tank in a dolphin language, she figured it would be impossible to hear Rebecca speak English; if she even did.

For now, she chose to check in on Luna. The girl was still curled into a ball and was visibly shaking. “Luna,” Sophie called in hopes of attracting her attention. The girl didn’t move or otherwise indicate that she’d heard, so Sophie called her name again, just a little louder. Both her parents were now looking at her too, and both of them looked concerned.

Sophie sighed. “Luna, I know you can hear me. Come on, honey, look at me please,” she begged.

Finally, Luna shifted a little from the corner of her tank, and Sophie saw one puffy, bloodshot eye peering at her from through her long, free waving locks.

Sophie smiled softly. “Hey kiddo. I’m so sorry; things have gotten all twisted up. Are you hurt?”

Luna shook her head, but her shaking didn’t abate. If anything, it worsened.

“Katie’s going to be okay,” Sophie continued. “She hasn’t woken up yet, but she’s getting better.”

It was the right thing to say, because a small glimmer of hope sparked in her gaze and she uncurled just a little bit further. ‘Really?’

It took Sophie a moment for recognition to spark in her brain. She’d forgotten that Katie and Luna had used sign language to speak to one another when they’d first met. It had been a while since Sophie herself had used it, but it was quickly coming back to her. She nodded her head to answer the question. “Yes. She’s in a different room, but Riley is with her.”

Luna’s head dipped and she chewed her lip. ‘Miss her,’ she admitted.

“I know, sweetheart. It’s okay. I know things are bad right now, but we’re not giving up. We’ll figure something out, I just need you to be brave, okay?”

Luna hesitated and then nodded again.

“I’m proud of you, honey. Can you speak?” she asked. Luna’s silence had been mental and inflicted due to the trauma of her time in captivity. Sophie hoped that she wasn’t relapsing now.

Luna’s lips moved and she nodded her head, but Sophie heard nothing, confirming her suspicions she would be unable to hear any of them. “Luna, I’m going to assume your family doesn’t know sign language. Can you be my go between, because I can’t hear you all; the glass is too thick.”

Again, Sophie got a nod and she smiled. Then she gazed around to address all the others. “Is anyone injured?” she asked. It was her first priority, to take stock of injuries and other concerns. She wasn’t sure when anyone from Lemuria would be back or if she had any pull at all, but at least she could report anything rather than it simply going unnoticed.

She could see Luna looking back and forth, and hear a little bit of the chatter for a few moments before everything went silent.

‘My brother is injured,’ Luna reported. ‘But he says that the wound is not severe. He is worried about his mate though,’ Luna said. She shrugged. Sophie nodded. Names had to be spelled and while Luna was getting much better with her reading and writing, Sophie wasn’t surprised she wasn’t sure how to spell Karina’s name. They probably didn’t even have an exact spelling for most of their names. ‘She has been too stressed, and none of us have eaten much. She is getting weak.’

Sophie chewed her lip and shook her head. It was typical that they would forget to feed the Mer they’d captured, including the noticeably pregnant one. “Karina, right?” she inquired as she addressed the sunset Mer directly.

The girl’s shoulders hunched up close to her chin and she shrank back, but after a moment, she nodded slowly.

“My name is Sophie. I know you don’t know me and that a lot of this has been overwhelming, but you need to try to relax okay? Calm down, breathe deep, and hang in there for your baby’s sake. We’ll do what we can to get you taken care of, alright?”

Karina had cocked her head at one point as Sophie was speaking, and she made to repeat herself before she noticed Nero filling her in. Finally, she nodded and seemed to take a deep breath. She sunk to the floor of her tank and curled up, but her gaze was still fixed on Nero.

It broke Sophie’s heart to see the two that way. They should be together, especially now. Sophie had never experienced one, but she knew a pregnancy was hard and that it was easy for feelings of loneliness and self-doubt to creep in. Karina looked so young, she’d need her mate by her side more than ever, and with the stressful situation…Sophie shook her head. She’d point that out too when the time came.

Feeling lost and overwhelmed herself, she leaned sideways in her seat until her shoulder bumped Lewis’. He shifted to lean against her too. “It’ll be alright,” he whispered.

She pursed her lips and nodded, but it was more for his benefit than hers. She wasn’t so sure she believed it. She had before, but now that things had fallen apart so spectacularly, she wasn’t sure. She just knew they couldn’t quit because several lives quite literally depended on it.

They sat in silence for a while, and it was the closest thing to peace Sophie figured she was going to get. And it all shattered in seconds when both doors swung open and several people wearing elbow length gloves, long coats, and face masks walked into the room.


	41. Scans

Riley leaned her cheek on a closed fist and fought back a yawn. She was certainly tired, but she was also not quite keen on falling asleep just yet. She yearned for Sophie’s return, if for no other reason than to know she was alright. She had no concept of time in this room, and knew that if she napped, she would lose track even further, and she hated not knowing if Sophie had been gone too long or not.

She scratched absently at the skin around her one set of spines and flicked the tip of her tail. Her fins were dangling over the side of the cot and swaying in mid-air, and it almost reminded her of the sensation of drifting them through the water. It was dry, and she silently hankered for a refreshing swim. She did not imagine she was going to get the opportunity any time soon, however. At least, not within a proper body of water. She winced as she considered what sort of holding tank would be in her future.

Riley had heard stories from Luna and Katie about their time with Lemuria, and it would not surprise her to find a tiny glass box waiting for her to be forced into it. She shuddered. She really did not do well with enclosed spaces, no matter how loathe she was to admit it, and she knew such an event would not go well. But she had made her choice and there was no option to back out of it now, and she did not desire too regardless.

A low, ghosting moan startled Riley from her brooding and she shook her head to clear it. She glanced over to Katie, who had been the source of the noise. The girl’s nose had wrinkled and her eyes were swimming behind closed lids. The beeping machine was beginning to sound off at faster intervals now, and Riley watched as Katie’s eyes finally fluttered open.

From what she understood, Katie had been unconscious for at least half a moon now, so it was no surprise that she immediately squinted and closed her eyes again. Riley remained silent, not wanting to disturb her friend. It was probably incredibly disorienting to wake up as Katie was after so long asleep, and even longer in the clutches of a delirious sickness.

It was only when Katie began to tug at the straps holding her down that Riley intervened. She did not blame her friend for her reaction – she hated the restrictive restraints as well – but she did not wish her to panic and potentially disrupt her recuperation.

She reached out and touched Katie’s shoulder, only to pull back in surprise as Katie shrieked. “I am sorry,” Riley apologized. “I did not mean to frighten you. How are you feeling?” She dragged herself closer to lean over Katie. It gave her an almost upside down view of her friend, but it was the best positioning she could manage without dragging herself onto Katie’s cot and potentially jarring the other girl.

Katie’s brown-green eyes were sparkling with confusion. She did not yet seem to be fully comprehending her surroundings. Riley waiting patiently and silently for her to wake up a bit more.

Katie’s brows furrowed together and she smacked her lips before responding. “Like I’ve been turned inside out,” she muttered. “Everything hurts.”

“Well I should think so,” Riley replied. “You have been asleep for half a moon. But you are awake, and that is good enough a sign for me that you are getting better. You had everyone very worried for you.”

“Even you?” Katie asked.

Riley scoffed and shook her head. “I never worry,” she countered with her tongue poking between her fangs. “It was obvious you were merely looking for attention.”

“Clearly,” Katie muttered dryly, though she still seemed amused.

Riley’s smile slipped however, and she yielded the game. “I was very worried,” she admitted. “I thought you were going to die.”

“Me too,” Katie agreed. “I still feel like I got trampled by a herd of horses, but at least I can breathe again. Suffocating was the worst part of it. Did they find out what was wrong?”

Riley nodded. “Yes, although I do not understand all of what was explained. But you grew so ill because you needed something inside of us. That our bodies make but yours does not.”

“The omega fluid?” Katie inquired. “The stuff Lemuria used from Luna to make me this way? How did Lewis and Dr. Seaton make that?”

Riley flicked her fins and shook her head. “I do not know who Dr. Seaton is, but yes, the omega fluid was what you needed. It is what is being fed to you now,” she continued. She nodded at the bag of fluid dripping down into Katie via a tube. “Lewis had no part in this, but they took the fluid from me. Luna is not here.”

“From you? But they get that from…”

“The spine?” Riley offered when Katie trailed off. “Yes, I am aware.”

Katie’s face crumpled and the rest of her body sagged with her. She suddenly smelled sharply of sorrow. “I’m sorry, Riley. That had to be incredibly painful…thank you.”

Riley hummed her agreement. It had hurt, but it was a meager pain in the grand scheme of her life, and a sacrifice she was more than willing to make in order to save the life before her.

“But wait…Luna isn’t here? Where are we? Riley, who did your spinal tap?”

Riley winced and then forced a small smile back onto her face, though she knew she only managed a grim upturn of her lips. “We are at the marine park, Katie. Sophie brought you here to separate you from Luna so that she would remain hidden.”

The look of confusion on Katie’s face lingered for quite a while and she did not reply. Riley frowned and began to wonder if she should be concerned. It was not quite so surprising, she supposed, given how long Katie had been ill and then unconscious. She was probably experiencing a sensory overload.

“Are you alright?” she asked, still feeling the need to clarify.

Katie’s eyebrows dipped together and she scowled. Her fin flicked at the end of the cot and landed with a solid thumping sound that betrayed the other girl’s frustration. “The marine park…but that’s not right. I-we were…no…” The bewilderment on Katie’s face warped into a wide, gaping horror and she glanced up at Riley with tear-filled, enlarged eyes. “Riley, tell me she didn’t do it,” she begged. “Mo-Sophie, she didn’t call Lemuria?”

Riley shrugged apologetically. “It was the only way to save you.”

Katie shook her head and fat, crystal tears began to seep from the corners of her eyes to trickle down her face. “No. No, Riley no. You can’t be here, you have to go. If they’re here, then you’re in danger. You and Mom, and everyone else. You have to go, please.”

Riley clucked her tongue to interrupt Katie’s frantic rant. She shook her head. “No, I am where I need to be,” she corrected softly. “It will be alright.”

Katie’s nostrils were flaring and she began to tug in earnest at the restraints holding her down. All the while, her tears fell faster and the beeping from the bedside machine grew frantic. The panic rolling off Katie was making Riley’s scales prickle. She knew there was no immediate danger, but the fear of a podmate often urged the senses to react with fight or flight. Riley’s tail lashed and she twisted her head away to hiss into the air as a release of tension.

Taking a breath, Riley carefully dragged herself off her own cot and onto Katie’s. She winced as her hip jarred – it had stiffened up on her again – and cautiously twisted so that she would not hit her friend.

Katie was still writhing and yanking at her bonds. “Please undo them!” she pleaded.

Determined to quell the panic attack, Riley flopped her tail down over Katie’s in hopes the weight would be soothing, or at the very least make it more difficult for her to thrash. She was already panting and pale, and Riley was worried she would overwork herself. She reached out and pressed two fingers to Katie’s lips to silence her.

“You were tossing about in your sleep, that is why the straps are there. Do not fret too much. You are still sick, and you still need to rest.”

“But I-” Katie started to mumble.

Riley shook her head and a low rumbling began to build in her chest again. She felt a little woozy from how much deep purring she had been doing lately – as it tended to be more draining to soothe others than to simply hum happiness or satisfaction – but that was a meager consequence to her.

“Just sleep,” she urged. “Worry about the rest when you are better.”

“When did you become so concerned with proper rest?” Katie inquired blearily.

Riley shrugged. “Since the people I love started overworking themselves?”

Katie snorted. “Hypocrite,” she taunted, though a yawn split her lips and distorted the word as she spoke.

Riley’s grin widened and she chuckled. “Perhaps,” she agreed. “But I am not wrong, and you do need to rest.”

“Okay,” Katie relented. She yawned again and her eyes were already beginning to droop. “Riley?”

“Hmm?”

Katie chewed her lip and hesitated, so Riley kept her gaze trained patiently on the other girl. “I know this is probably going to sound really weak, but…will you stay here? I just…I’m afraid of being alone.”

Riley watched as Katie’s fingers began to curl into fists and loosen again repeatedly, and her tense posture caused sympathy to swell in Riley’s chest. After a moment, she shuffled her tail and nodded. Her hip hurt, and staying curled on the edge of the cot was going to make her all the more sore, but Katie’s plea was far more important. “I will not leave,” she promised.

More tears watered in Katie’s eyes and she nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered before she closed her eyes. Riley hummed and curled up beside her. She was tired too, but she made sure to wait until she heard Katie’s breathing deepen before she allowed herself to relax too.

***

All at once, Riley’s senses snapped back into awareness. She tensed and cracked open one eye as she listened. She could hear approaching footsteps coming towards them. Whoever they belonged to was walking quickly, and their steps fell heavily, with a weird sharp clack to them. Sophie never sounded like that when she walked, and Riley had already memorized the sound of the scientist’s approach to know it was not him either.

She remained motionlessly sprawled beside Katie as she waited. She did not wish to disturb the other Mer unnecessarily, and felt that in this situation where she could not flee or effectively fight, the element of surprise would be her most effective tactic.

Her senses were on high alert when the lock clicked and the doorknob turned, but she gave off the illusion of slumber when the barrier finally creaked open. There was a pause in sounds, but then the sharp clacking resumed as the person made their way around the cot. Riley slit one eye open again, but could not see the intruder without rolling over. She parted her lips to drink in the scent. It was an unfamiliar one, and Riley nearly gagged on the unpleasant, sharp odor that accompanied it. It was as if they had piled on a bunch of chemical scents to mask their own, and it was far from pleasant. Riley’s eyes watered and she squeezed them shut again.

The person began mumbling something under their breath. Riley could hear just fine, but it was nonsensical babble to her about numbers and charts. It did not sound like the person fully knew what they were saying either, and Riley guessed they were perhaps just reading the data from the machines still hooked up to Katie and monitoring her well-being.

“It’s too hot down here,” the woman behind them growled. “At least we should be shipping back out soon. And you’re a pretty one, look at those fins.” There was a delay in the woman’s speech and Riley just barely felt her fingers ghost over her tailfins before she shifted in her ‘sleep’ and pulled them away. The touch had sent a shudder rippling through Riley, and she did not appreciate how it made her hip throb. She was really going to have to say something about that soon, though she loathed the idea of admitting such a weakness around people like this one.

Riley was not surprised when the woman’s touch returned, and she ground her teeth in her jaw before emitting a low growl deep in her throat. It was the only warning she had the patience to give at this point.

What did surprise her was that – instead of backing off or getting angry – the woman began to chuckle. Her fingers moved away from Riley’s fins only to begin casually stroking her hair. “Yes, you’re very scary,” she mocked in a cooing tone. “It’s alright, there’s no need to be fussy. We’ll get you socialized properly soon enough.”

Riley rolled her eyes and sighed obviously. She sat up, ignoring how the woman’s nails tangled in her hair and pulled at her scalp as she did. Her hip was still incredibly stiff, but she managed to twist herself enough to meet the woman’s gaze.

She had long black hair pulled into a tight weave – not dissimilar to how Katie often wore hers – but her dark brown eyes were narrowed with a haughty spark.

“What do you want?” Riley growled.

The woman clucked her tongue. “Dr. Auldon mentioned you were a bit…grouchy. There’s no need to be hostile.”

“I will decide that once you have told me who you are and why you are here,” Riley snapped back. Grouchy. She scoffed at the term. She would show this intruder what grouchy actually meant.

The woman’s smile widened, and she pulled her fingers free of Riley’s locks only to pat her on the head. “My name is Jenny,” she introduced. “But you won’t need to use it often. You and I are going to be spending a lot of time together though. You really are in need of some proper socialization. When we get back home, I’ll have to work on your manners and getting you tamed properly.”

At the statement, a rough bark of laughter ripped its way free from Riley’s throat and she shoved her face closer to Jenny’s. “Right. Good luck with that. Now what do you want? You’re going to disturb her.”

Jenny leaned to the side to peer at Katie and shrugged, her smile widening. “Aww, have you got a soft spot for Bailey then?” she cooed.

Riley hissed at the woman’s mockery. “She is my friend, and her name is Katie.”

Again, the woman shrugged. “Bailey, Katie, what’s the difference? You’re all still just animals, and I’ll call you whatever I like. Still, your friendship makes this easier.” She snapped her fingers loudly, and the door opened again. A man came in pushing a gurney, and Riley eyed it warily. “I’m actually here for you; Dr. Auldon wants to run some tests. So be a good little mermaid and I’ll be far less tempted to wake Bailey, much less punish her. She did run away like a naughty, disloyal pet after all. But you might be able to make amends for her.”

Riley’s hackles raised and she snarled. “Leave her alone,” she hissed furiously. “You have done enough to the members of my family for me to justify ripping your throat out. You do not want to push me to act.”

Jenny merely clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Get on the gurney,” she advised. “Behave yourself, and I’ll leave Bailey alone. She still needs to recover, so we’re not inclined to bother her much now, true. However, getting you to comply is viewed as more important, so you can come along quietly, or Bailey can face the consequences for you.”

Riley hesitated. She was not keen on the idea of leaving Katie, nor did she like allowing this woman to get what she wanted, but she also had to admit to herself that she was scared.

She did not know where Sophie was or if she was okay, and she was not certain that they would leave Katie alone once she was away from her. She also had no idea what the scientist wanted with her. She always considered herself strong and brave, and she had known the potential consequences before she came, but now that she was facing them down; she was no longer certain she could hold up against them. She had at least thought she would have more time to prepare.

She glanced hesitantly at Katie and then reluctantly bowed her head. Regardless of the fears and uncertainties, or her hatred of allowing them to control her, she was not willing to risk Katie’s well-being. Especially not when the girl was tied down and sick, and unconscious again. If she had merely been sleeping, the commotion would have woken her by now. It was a hard thing to accept, but for the first time in her life, she knew she had to comply and bide her time, rather than bluntly opposing the threats that lay before her.

“So, what’s it going to be?” Jenny taunted. The grin on her lips pulled wider to reveal her teeth, and it made Riley yearn to lunge at her. Still, she knew that would not help the situation and – if anything – would probably just land those she cared about in a worse predicament.

Without feeling she had much other choice, Riley looked away and bowed her head. “I will come,” she agreed in a subdued voice.

“Good choice,” Jenny praised.

Though she had to wrestle with the urge to growl, Riley remained limp and silent as the man – none too gently – dragged her off the cot and half flung her onto the gurney. Riley winced as it jarred her body, but she bit her lip and said nothing. She peered at the woman with narrowed, hate-filled eyes as she walked alongside the gurney while the man pushed it out of the room. Jenny paused only to relock the door on their way out, and then they were off down the hall.

Riley was a little surprised they did not attempt to cover her tail or conceal her in any way like Sophie usually insisted she do. She assumed that Lemuria would be just as hesitant to have the general public learn of her presence – that it would probably create more issues for them – and yet it was as if they did not care at all.

Since there was not much else she could do, Riley made a point of memorizing the various turns they took on the journey. She wanted to ensure they brought her back to Katie afterwards, though she was not sure exactly how she would react if they did not, but she at least wanted to be aware of her surroundings.

Finally, they arrived, and Riley was pushed into a new room. This one was large and full of equipment that looked only half set up. She did not miss the large white cylinder with the gurney bed feeding into it, and her heart squeezed. A tight space was possibly the worst thing they could force her to endure.

The scientist – she had to start remembering that his name was Dr. Auldon – was standing in the room with his hands clasped behind his back. He smiled at her as they entered the room and the gurney lurched to a stop. “Excellent. I trust there were no problems?” he inquired as his gaze slid from her to Jenny.

“She was hardly any trouble at all, though I do see what you meant about the grumpy attitude. Seems all bark and no bite though.”

Riley’s attention whipped to the woman and her fingers curled into fists. She would be happy to correct that statement.

“While I’m glad there was no conflicts, Miss Barnes, I do believe that a small degree more of respect is necessary when dealing with our mermaids, and this one is no exception. Suzie’s bite could have been deadly if she had truly put her heart into it, and this one is older and stronger. Though she’ll regret the choice to bite, it might be wise to avoid the risk altogether.”

“Of course, Sir,” Jenny agreed, though Riley scowled at the dark undertone in her voice. It seemed the woman genuinely enjoyed making a mockery of others and did not like being scolded for it. Riley huffed her annoyance and looked away.

“You may go now, Miss Barnes – both of you – I can handle things from here. I suppose now would be an ideal time for you to take a lunch break. Come back here in an hour.”

“Yes, Sir,” Jenny agreed. Riley returned her attention to the scientist before her as the retreating footsteps faded away behind her. Nothing had happened yet, but she could not help shifting her weight as unease began to prickle along her scales.

For a few minutes, the scientist said nothing to her as he began rummaging through a box of supplies. He was not alone in the room, and Riley kept an eye on the two others hauling things in through a set of double doors on the far side of the room. Each time the doors opened, Riley got a whiff of the outside air, though it was clogged with gas and fumes, and she could not actually see outside.

At one point, they stopped coming and going, and began assembling some of the things they had brought in, though Riley knew what none of it was, nor what any of it did. She got a little too engrossed in watching them as she waited, that Dr. Auldon’s approach went unnoticed until he was practically at her side. He was holding a long, thick needle filled with a strange red fluid that made Riley cringe when she finally did notice him. “What is that?” she inquired, though part of her did not anticipate an answer, and another part wondered if she would regret receiving one at all.

The scientist made a motion with his hand for her to roll onto her side, which she reluctantly complied with. She was here now and there was no going back, and she figured that if she acted out now, they would still make good on their promise to make Katie suffer for it. “It’s merely a dye,” the scientist explained as he rubbed a ball of sharp smelling cotton over her bad hip. Riley grimaced as she assumed that would be where she would be getting pricked. “It’s harmless, just to help the bones display better when we take pictures. Now stay still,” he warned.

Riley looked away, but her body tensed as she felt the needle pierce her flesh. The metal itself did not truly hurt at first, until she felt it push into the bone. She ground her teeth so she would not cry out as the man deposited the ‘dye’ into her already aching hip bone.

“One more time,” he stated after withdrawing the needle. “I just want a biopsy.”

Riley did not know what a biopsy was, but she did know that the second puncture hurt far worse, and it took all of her self-control to remain still on the gurney until the invading object was removed.

“So, you can be disciplined when you want to; I’m impressed by your resolve,” he commented casually. She refused to look at him and give him the satisfaction of the tears watering in her gaze as he walked away. She chewed her lip and swallowed the pain back until she had control of herself once more.

If Dr. Auldon _had_ noticed how her resolve had been shaken, he did not comment on it, and instead pushed her further into the room. Though she had been anticipating it, her heart plummeted into her gut as he pulled the gurney up beside the other medical bed; the one attached to the large mechanical tube. “Get on,” he urged. “Lay flat on your back.”

Riley hesitated and her heart thrummed wildly in her chest. “Must I?” she clarified as she turned to face him. She hated that her voice had cracked and become barely more than a squeak, but her uncertainty was getting the better of her.

Dr. Auldon nodded. “The sooner you do, the quicker I’ll take you back. Thus far, it seems Dr. Patter has been competent at his work, but he is only a veterinarian and I want a better look at that hip of yours to ensure it was handled correctly. Given what I’ve observed of your posture and motility the past few days, I would assume not; it has been causing your problems?”

Riley frowned. Of all the reasons, that was not one she was expecting. Surely, he did not truly care if she was comfortable or not? So far, it felt he had gone out of his way to ensure the opposite. While she hesitated, the scientist began to tap his foot impatiently. “Are we going to have a problem?” he inquired.

Riley swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head. She had already promised herself she would play the long game and play along for now, and she was not about to go back on her decision. Still, at the idea of being trapped within the device, her arms shook as she dragged herself over onto the more padded bed of the machine. She rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling with flaring nostrils and a heaving chest. She was not even fully sure that she would be put inside, but just the idea of the small space was making her chest tighten with anxiety.

It did not help that the scientist stepped forward and leaned over her. He held up a strange contraption that had two large circles and a curved strap holding them together. “This machine is very loud, so I’m going to put these on you. Under no circumstances are you to take them off, which I wouldn’t recommend regardless unless you wish to deafen yourself,” he advised.

Riley bit her lip in hopes of keeping the panicked tears out of her eyes as she nodded her understanding. The scientist settled the contraption over her head so that each of the circles covered her ears. It took less than a heartbeat for Riley to loathe them. The world around her was almost completely silenced and she had never in her life experienced such dampened hearing. It made her skin crawl.

The scientist seemed to anticipate this because he said nothing more to her. Instead, he stepped away and began fiddling with a panel on the side of the machine.

Riley wished she had better composure, but she was fairly sure that she squeaked when the bed lurched and then slid into place within the tube. Lights flickered and the bed itself shook for a moment, and Riley could hear the faint hum from behind the sound mufflers over her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip hard enough that she tasted blood.

Tears swelled behind her lids and her nails dug into her palms as she curled her fingers into fists. It took every scrap of willpower not to roll over and lurch out of the device and onto the floor. Her breathing came in shallow bursts and she could barely think straight.

“Relax,” Dr. Auldon’s voice crackled in her ears, making her jump. “Breathe. It won’t be long. I know you have an aversion to enclosed spaces, but surely you can handle a few minutes?”

The tone felt mocking, but rather than actually making fun of her, it almost felt like he was trying to get a rise out of her in order to distract her. It did not really help. She sipped at air and kept her eyes shut, though just knowing she was trapped was sending her into a fit.

She had no idea how long she had been inside the machine, but a droning whine began to scream in her ears and – even with her eyes closed – her world began to spin.

The bed jolted and – believing that it was pulling her out – she made the mistake of opening her eyes. The walls seemed to be closing in on her and Riley began to truly panic. She felt her gills flare before pain erupted in her chest as she struggled to breathe properly. She coughed and squirmed, and thought maybe the scientist was talking again, but the words were lost to her anxious haze.

What was probably only a few moments felt like an eternity before the sound suppressors were being removed from her ears and Riley finally opened her eyes. The room was bright, too bright, and she squinted. She was still gasping, but she could feel the hysteria fading.

The scientist was leaning over her with scrunched brows and a deep frown on his features. “You really are claustrophobic,” he commented. “Interesting.”

“I am glad you can find it so amusing,” Riley rasped bitterly as she sat up and twisted back onto her front. It felt better to be able to sit up at least.

“Quite the contrary,” he replied. He paused to adjust his glasses on his nose. “It’s rather impractical. You are an asset, and a valuable one. I don’t particularly enjoy the notion that being closed in can send you into such a spiral. I do wonder if perhaps you can be trained out of the phobia. It’s certainly something to look into.”

Riley did not respond. She hated these panic attacks and knew that it was not a simple vulnerability to have, but she also was terrified of how he might intend to train her out of it. She shuddered, then started as his hand fell on her head. He patted her hair awkwardly – as though he was not quite certain how to offer comfort and frowned. “At the very least, we’ll have to be cautious about penning you in until there’s a safe solution.”

Riley nodded and could not stop the spiral of relief and gratitude at the mention of keeping her in open spaces. She had far too hard a time dealing with feeling trapped.

She kept her head bowed and did not look up until she saw his hand move. Her attention shifted to it and her brows furrowed together as she watched him set a small plate down on the edge of the bed. There was a handful of oysters on it, as well as some large shrimp.

Riley glanced up at him and her confusion must have showed because he raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”

“No, I suppose not,” she replied as she glanced at the food again.

“If I’m not mistaken, you haven’t eaten today. What’s the matter, I thought you liked shellfish?”

“I do,” Riley confirmed. “But I thought you said…” she trailed off when he gave her a hard look and she decided it best to drop the subject. She fumbled with awkward silence for a few heartbeats before finally simply adding a quiet “thank you.”

He hummed his approval and walked away. "Don't go getting confused that it's to reward you," he stated after a moment. "It was simply quickest to dethaw."

Riley frowned at the odd statement, not quite understanding why he would care what she took out of the situation, but ultimately, she shrugged it off. She could see him looking at something outside her vision, but she decided it was best to simply focus on the meal and not push her luck.

When she cracked open the first oyster, she gave it a cautious sniff. It smelled alright – and she supposed there were easier ways to drug her – but habit made her wary. She was beginning to feel a little spoiled on her favorite food, but she was never one to turn down any form of proper sustenance. Her belly rumbled appreciatively and focusing on the food allowed her to forget her nerves and anxieties for a little bit.


	42. Observations

Lewis tested the zip ties once again, though he only really succeeded in digging the plastic painfully into his wrists. A group of scientists had filtered silently into the room. They had the full, dramatic garb of long lab coats, rubber gloves and heavy boots, and medical masks stretched across their mouths and noses to reveal nothing but stoic gazes.

One man busied himself with spreading a large towel out on the floor perpendicular to Luna’s tank, while another fussed with dragging a trolley of supplies into the room and sorting them out.

If the Mer had been uneasy before, this had made everything worse. Luna had wedged herself back into a tight ball in the corner and had her eyes squeezed closed as if she were trying to wish away a nightmare. Rebecca was hovering in the water with narrowed eyes as she stared at the newcomers, and Ixion was equally transfixed with his fangs bared in warning. Nero’s agitation was clear by his constant circling of his tiny enclosure, and Karina hadn’t moved one way or the other, but her soft brown eyes were wide and her posture was bowed low.

Lewis strained in his seat for a better look at the equipment they’d brought in. The most noticeable piece was a portable ultrasound machine, and his heart squeezed as he knew immediately which of the Mer they had come for.

Confirming his suspicions, the one female scientist of the group walked up to where Karina and Nero’s tanks were stacked. Each of the containers had been padlocked shut, and she inserted a key into the top one and pried the lid open. It swung on squeaky hinges to hang open at an obtuse angle.

As soon as she began reaching into the tank, Karina was spurred into motion, and the pregnant Mer attempted to dart past the reaching hands to the far corner of her tank. The scientist’s fingers caught in her free-flowing blonde hair and fisted in the tresses as she yanked Karina’s head back. The room exploded with the rebounding cacophony of Karina’s terrified whistling.

The immediate following reaction was from Nero, who burst into action with a snarl warping his features as he began to slam his full body weight against the side of his tank in an effort to get to her. It stirred a response from Ixion and Rebecca, who also began to strike at the walls of their tanks. Luna had a much more timid response, but her palms were pressed flat to the glass and her fin was lashing back and forth.

None of the scientists seemed fazed by the response, however, as they all continued working.

What Lewis found most surprising was that Karina – though incredibly stressed – didn’t display any hostile behavior. Her tail had thrashed once with surprise, and she’d brought her hands up to try to free herself from the other woman’s grasp, but she wasn’t lunging or attempting to bite.

Regardless, the scientists were treating her as if she were snarling. The woman pulled Karina’s head back further by her hair, while one of her colleagues reached in with a thick face mask. Karina’s head jerked with surprise, but even still she didn’t go for the exposed hand before the mask was pulled over her mouth and secured around her head. Her panicked calls were significantly more muffled now, but still audible as they manhandled her. The woman looped her free hand around Karina’s chest while the other grabbed her tail and together, they hoisted her out of the water, showering the floor with droplets.

She was dropped down onto the towel and one of the scientists immediately sat down to pin her tail beneath his weight.

Karina’s eyes were wide and half-rolled into her head as they forced her to lay sprawled on her back.

“Stop it!” Lewis called as he leaned forward in his seat. “Can’t you see that she’s not aggressive? You’re just stressing her out needlessly.”

His words went ignored as a collar of orange leather was threaded around Karina’s neck and tightened. Lewis was certain from what Katie and Luna had recounted that – despite looking different – this was just as likely a shock collar. He pursed his lips and silently prayed they wouldn’t use it. They could kill the baby if they did. Surely, they weren’t that stupid.

Karina was thrashing weakly and whimpering desperately as they worked. She was quivering and her gaze was fixed on Nero who was still losing his mind within his tank.

“Leave her alone,” Sophie begged beside him. “She’s pregnant, you idiots!”

It didn’t seem like the scientists were interested in either of them, however, as there wasn’t so much as a glance or a grunt of acknowledgement their way.

Lewis chewed his lip and decided to try once more. “You know that stress will cause a lot of creatures to terminate their pregnancies, right? Just because she’s in the late stages doesn’t mean she can’t miscarry. I thought you would want the baby.”

Finally, he got a glare from the female scientist. “Of course we want the baby. But we need to do a physical on the mother to ensure her health.”

“Well this isn’t healthy for her,” Lewis countered. He pulled against the restraints on his wrists once more. “At least let me do it, she knows me better.”

Another one of the scientists quirked a brow and scoffed.

“I’m a doctor too,” Lewis reminded with a growl. “What, do you think it’s an escape ploy? What do you expect; that I’m going to incapacitate four of you by myself and then Sophie and I are going to carry five Mer out of here completely undetected? Don’t be daft.”

For a moment, none of them responded and the room was silent save Karina’s desperate whimpers and Nero’s continued assault on the glass.

“Do you care about the well-being of the mother and fetus or not?” Lewis pressed again.

Finally, the one man sighed and made a gesture with his hand. With a roll of her eyes, the female scientist stood and made her way over. “Don’t try anything,” she hissed as she cut the ties holding his wrists, and then those on his legs.

As Lewis stood, he caught Sophie’s grim, worried expression and offered her a reassuring nod. He wished there was more he could say to the woman he loved, but now was not a good time. Her gaze softened and she nodded back, and he was glad at least that she knew.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, he hurried over to the group and shooed away the scientist still sitting on Karina. He half shoved them out of the way in order to kneel down beside her. Her eyes were still wide and terrified, so Lewis kept his voice soft. She didn’t know him all that well yet, but he hoped she at least knew he had no desire to hurt her.

“It’s okay,” he said in hopes of reassuring her. He gently lifted her head and unbuckled the leather mask, pulling it away from her face. She trilled fearfully and he took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Just relax,” he urged her. “It’ll be alright.”

“We don’t have time for you to talk to fish,” the female scientist reminded with an impatient tap of her foot. “You want to do it, fine, but hurry up about it!” She reached out and practically jabbed a thermometer near his face.

Lewis rolled his eyes and accepted it wordlessly. There was no point in letting her get a rise out of him. He turned back to Karina, who was still warbling softly and staring at the instrument in his grasp with layers of fear and confusion clouding her eyes. “Open your mouth,” Lewis requested. “This is just going to go under your tongue, okay? Hold it there.” Karina complied, though he wasn’t sure if it was because she wanted to or because she felt she had no choice, but her grip on Lewis’ hand tightened and he offered her a small smile in return. Her chest was still heaving, but she seemed to be calming down at least a little and Lewis decided to take that as a good sign.

After a few minutes, he pulled the thermometer out of her mouth and offered it to one of the other scientists. He wasn’t concerned about recording the results, they could do that themselves. “Anything else?” he demanded.

“Bloodwork,” the female scientist insisted as she offered him the needle, two vials, and a tourniquet. Lewis sighed and nodded. Karina definitely wasn’t going to like this.

He glanced down at her worried face, which was fixated on the needle in his hands. “Sit up,” he urged her as he put the supplies aside and helped prop her up against Luna’s tank. The young Mer was staring at him from within the tank with a worried look. Her lips moved and Karina turned to look at her, but Lewis had no idea what might have been said.

He took Karina’s arm and wrapped the rubber strap around it before twisting so that her hand was palm up. “It’s going to sting,” he warned her. “You should look away.”

She was quick to follow his advice, and Lewis pressed a thumb into the crook of her elbow to help exaggerate the vein. He didn’t want to have to prick her more than once.

Karina’s fingers were curled into fists, and she whimpered and tensed further when he pushed the needle beneath her skin, but was otherwise a model patient as he finished pulling blood.

He stared the scientists down as he passed back the vials of blood. “Someone should consider going and fetching some food from the kitchens. They all need to eat, but she’s going to need the extra calories and nutrition especially.”

It made his blood boil at the confused looks that crossed many of their faces. Feeding the Mer clearly hadn’t occurred to them. “We just took blood,” he reminded. “She’ll need to keep her strength up.”

Two of the scientists filtered back out the door and Lewis sighed with relief. “Anything else?” he inquired.

“Just the ultrasound,” the male scientist replied.

Lewis nodded. That wouldn’t be so bad. The two scientists set about getting the machine and the screen set up and ready. While they were doing that, Lewis carefully guided Karina back down into a prone position. There was a concerned question sparkling in her gaze, and her hands had settled protectively over her belly.

“It won’t hurt,” Lewis promised her. “You might even like this, but you have to move your hands.” Karina whined and resisted him as he tried to peel her hands away from her belly. “Karina, I promise I don’t want to hurt the baby, okay? You have to trust me.”

Though she seemed incredibly hesitant and kept her gaze trained on him the entire time, Karina remained limp as he pulled her hands away and placed them at her sides. She was staring at him with a fragile hope that he knew he had to protect no matter what. There were two screens on the ultrasound stand, so Lewis rose and carefully tilted the one so that Karina would be able to see it.

By the time he’d settled back down beside her, he’d had a tube of gel and the ultrasound wand shoved into his hands. He uncapped the gel and held it out over Karina’s swollen belly. “It’s going to be a little cold,” he warned her before squeezing.

He watched her flinch as the drizzle of bluish goo hit her skin, but at least she didn’t appear to be panicking.

She murmured again in a language he couldn’t understand when he raised the wand, however. Lewis shook his head. “It’s alright,” he promised her as he pressed it to her stomach and carefully swirled it around. Karina had clenched her eyes shut as soon as he touched her, but the screens both flared to life.

It was an amazing sight to behold, Lewis thought as he gazed at the one screen. The infant Mer was curled up within her belly. It was smaller than he’d expected, given the size of her stomach, but it didn’t seem unhealthy.

He gently moved the wand around, getting a proper look at the flexible curve of a slender, stubby tail. The fin on the end was hard to see on the ultrasound, but he could just about trace the outlines. It looked like the baby had the same delicate, dual fins of its mother, though it was hard to tell just yet how many other similarities there were.

He guided the wand further up, and found the heartbeat. It was fast, but consistent, pulsing in the womb and thankfully seeming none too affected by the stress the mother was under. Judging by the size and completeness of the development, Lewis guessed it would be only a few weeks at most, if only days before the pregnant Mer went into labor.

“Karina. Honey, look,” he prompted. The young woman still had her eyes squeezed shut, but at his encouragement, she peeked them open again and followed his gesture. “That’s your baby.”

Instantly, Karina’s gaze softened and though her eyes were still wide, it was no longer with fear, but wonder that she gazed at the screen. She warbled something new and reached out with a hand towards the screen she couldn’t quite reach. Lewis carefully pulled the wand down lower until he found the infant’s head. It was nestled in the crook of its tail, with tiny fisted hands floating near its ears. Karina crooned again.

“What’s the sex?” one of the remaining scientists demanded.

Lewis scowled at the interruption of the touching moment and shrugged. “I don’t think we’ll know until the baby is born,” he replied. In all honesty, he had no idea how to identify the baby’s gender. He hadn’t seen any Mer children or toddlers before to know what they looked like, and there weren’t too many noticeable differences between the males and females he had met, aside from a lack of significant scales on their chests. From the look of the ultrasound, the baby didn’t have any scales yet. It looked too tiny to be born soon, but Lewis didn’t particularly have a good frame of reference to know if he should be concerned. Rebecca had mentioned that Karina was in her final stages, and that Mer typically gave birth when the translucent ‘maternity’ fins had fully matured. They certainly looked fully formed on Karina’s sides, and had even started to darken to the deep pinky-gray Rebecca had described.

Lewis stood for a moment and twisted the one screen again so that Nero would be able to see as well. The male Mer was still systematically crashing his body against the tank, but he paused when Lewis called his name. “Meet your baby, bud,” he encouraged.

Nero seemed transfixed, and Karina was chirruping something at him. She seemed like she had almost forgotten the scientists were even there. Lewis took a few more moments to let them bask in the discovery before he pulled the wand away and switched the machine off. Then he took a wipe and began cleaning the gel off Karina’s skin.

“Perhaps a genetic sample is necessary to determine the sex of the offspring,” the female scientist suggested to her comrade.

Lewis shook his head and his frustration surged. There was no patience with these fools. “That would be a very bad idea,” he warned them.

“How so?”

“You saw how the baby was coiled. If you try to get a needle through her womb, you’ll not only hurt her, but even with precision aim you’d be liable to stab something vital. She doesn’t look that far off from giving birth, just wait it out.”

The look of horror had returned to Karina’s face, and her arms came up to hug her belly tightly as if to protect it. Lewis patted her arm reassuringly. If there was anything he could do to stop it, he would. She stared up at him with tears in her eyes, but nodded. She seemed to understand that, even though he hadn’t spoken.

“Perhaps waiting is for the best,” the male scientist agreed. “We should return the creature to her tank now.”

Before either of them could react or make good on the decision, the doors opened once more, but only one of the two scientists that had departed returned. He was carrying a single bucket, which certainly didn’t look like enough to feed all five Mer. Lewis frowned. Still, he knew he’d rather get Karina back into the water himself than to allow them to grab at her again. “Put your arms around my neck,” he requested.

He waited patiently as she sat up and leaned forward in order to lace her fingers together behind his neck. He wrapped one arm around her back, and the other under her tail, and scooped her up just as he had the last time. Karina seemed a bit more comfortable in his arms this time, and he walked slowly to avoid jostling her belly before lowering her back down into the water.

“Thank you,” she whispered so softly in his ear that he barely heard her. Not wanting to alert the other scientists, Lewis simply grunted his acknowledgement.

Once she was back in the water, the scientist holding the bucket stepped forward and upended its contents into the tank. Karina shied away to avoid being pelted with the cutlets of fish that sunk through the water around her. She eyed them warily and Lewis gently tapped on the glass and nodded. “There’s no sense in poisoning you, and you need the strength; go ahead and eat.” He waited until he watched her grab a piece of fish before he turned towards the group of Lemuria scientists. “What about the others?” he demanded.

The one scientist – who seemed to be something of a ringleader – waved his hand in annoyance. “You’re right about the pregnant one but feeding them is a handler’s job. Besides, we’d have to drain and move the tanks to get at some of them.”

“So you’re just going to let them starve?”

The female scientist scoffed. “They’ll be fine for a few days. We’ll probably be shipping out soon, and the little blue one has been statistically recorded going up to two weeks without any form of sustenance before her body gave out. They’re all older than she was at that time, and we won’t be here that long; they’ll be just fine. If anything, it will be good for calming some of them down,” she stated with a blatant nod towards Nero, who responded by baring his fangs at her.

“Enough,” the lead scientist decided. He jabbed a finger at Lewis. “You did your part, now go sit down.”

Lewis opened his mouth to argue but ultimately decided against it. It would get him nowhere, and he might need to convince them to let him free again if they decided to run more ‘tests’ on the Mer. He’d rather be the one to perform them and know that it was done as gently and humanely as possible, given Lemuria didn’t seem to care.

Just as he was trudging back to his seat, the door swung open again, and the black-haired woman who’d held Sophie at gunpoint earlier entered. “Stop,” she called. “Don’t bother sitting down, Mr. Patter.”

Lewis glanced at her and frowned. Judging by the grin on her face, she was being rude on purpose, but it was her treatment of Sophie only hours ago that truly made him loathe her.

Her grin only widened. “You’ll have to come with me. Dr. Auldon wants you.”


	43. Operations

Having worked at the marine park for the last fifteen years, Lewis knew the halls of the science wing well, and it didn’t take him long following Jenny to know exactly where they were headed.

While he wasn’t surprised, it left a bitter note in his mouth that she paused outside his preferred operating room. He would often use his office if necessary, but this was where he preferred to do any of the surgeries that any rescues – or just common health problems of the park animals – required of him. It was where he had worked on Riley the first time around.

Jenny grinned at him and made an ‘after you’ gesture. Lewis sighed and strode through the door. The scene before him gave him pause. Dr. Auldon was standing at the counter sanitizing and organizing various surgical instruments, and Riley sat curled on the operating table. The girl’s tail was stretched at an odd angle behind her, and she looked to be in severe discomfort.

Ignoring the scientist, Lewis hurried to Riley’s side, his eyes already wandering over her prone form in search of injury.

Riley’s wide eyes fixated on him too. “Lewis? What are you doing here?” she queried with a touch of panic lacing her tone. She parted her jaws and a moment later, her eyes widened further, and she shook her head. “No…”

Lewis’ shoulders sagged and he shrugged regretfully. “I’m sorry, kiddo. Are you okay?”

Riley grimaced and drummed her nails against the metal of the surgical table. She nodded. “For now,” she agreed.

“What do you mean ‘for now’?” Lewis demanded.

Before Riley could answer, Dr. Auldon cleared his throat. Lewis spun around to face the older man, who was beckoning him over. Lewis didn’t reckon he would like whatever the scientist had to say, but he reluctantly made his way over regardless.

Dr. Auldon had put up several x-ray snapshots on the overhead rail and also handed him a folder with several pages of data. “You did an MRI?” Lewis inquired as he flipped through the pages.

“And took some x-rays to be thorough, yes,” Dr. Auldon replied. “I trust you can see the problem?”

Lewis frowned as he studied the images. They were all of Riley’s lower spine and hip structure. While the one side looked fine, the hip she had previously broken appeared to have gradually shifted out of place. It was not a noticeably massive amount, but it had to be causing some pain and some significant strain on her posture and the surrounding muscles and nerves. There also looked to be some damage to the bone itself.

Lewis twisted to look at Riley more closely. “Have you been having problems with your hip?”

Riley hesitated to answer, but the way she bowed her head and her cheeks coloured, Lewis had his answer. “Yes,” Riley finally admitted sheepishly. “But they have only really become problematic recently.”

“And you said nothing because…?” Lewis trailed off as he waited for her to supplement the reason.

Riley shrugged. “We have had a lot going on lately. At first, I thought it would just go away on its own, and when it did not, I was embarrassed. I did not wish to burden you and Sophie with anything more.”

Lewis sighed and shook his head. “Next time, tell me,” he urged. “I’d rather you tell me right away so I can fix it before it gets bad like this.” He gestured towards the hanging photos despite knowing Riley probably wouldn’t understand exactly what the pictures meant.

Riley nodded, though she seemed subdued.

“I’m not mad at you,” Lewis assured her. He turned to look at the scientist. “Did you call me here for details on her original surgery?”

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “Oh no, your original notes and data were quite thorough. An engaging read,” he mocked. “No, I brought you here because I could use a spare pair of hands. I assume you agree this needs to be corrected, and sooner rather than later to avoid further damage?”

“What do you intend to do?” Lewis asked with a frown as he stepped closer again.

Dr. Auldon pulled a red marker and circled Riley’s damaged hip. “I want to make an incision from above, and separate the bone from the cap. There is significant bone overgrowth here,” Dr. Auldon paused to draw an arrow on the page, “and here, that will need to be shaved back. That’s actually the biggest problem. The growths are scraping against the opposite bone and digging groves. The bone is chipping and catching, which is where the pain is coming from, and it seems her overcompensation and trying to wrench the bone free is what is displacing the joint. Once it’s been shaved and capped to limit further growth, I want to reposition the hip and cable it to keep it from shifting while it heals; we’ll use something that dissolves so that a retrieval incision won’t be necessary.”

“What does all of that mean?” Riley inquired.

“It means you’re going back in a brace belt,” Lewis clarified. He couldn’t help but chuckle at Riley’s exaggerated groan. It helped ease some of the tension constricting his heart.

Dr. Auldon grunted his agreement. “I suggest you wash up, Dr. Patter. The sooner we get started, the better.”

Lewis was tired, having not gotten anything close to proper rest the past several days, and wasn’t sure he was in the best condition to be performing delicate surgery, but he knew refusing would simply lock him out of the procedure and he wanted to at least be able to supervise that Riley was being treated properly.

With a resigned nod, he moved to prep for surgery, choosing for the moment to ignore Riley’s sputtering protests. She did need the surgery, and he doubted anything would sway the scientist into waiting.

Twenty minutes later, he found himself staring down at Riley’s limp form. Dr. Auldon had needed no prompting to administer an IV drip and sedate the Mer. He’d strapped her down so that she wouldn’t roll or shift during the operation and had pulled supplies over.

Lewis stood by patiently as the scientist made the first incision. He knew it needed to be done, but cutting into Riley felt wrong, especially with the Lemuria scientist heading the surgery.

Once the skin was pulled away, the severity of the damage to her joint was obvious. When bones broke, it wasn’t unusual for them to grow a calloused shell to strengthen the bone once it was healed. It looked like Riley’s bone just never stopped growing over, and as she moved, pieces chipped into sharp edges that ground against the inside of the joint cap, while also trying to grow over it. If it continued, Lewis suspected she would eventually no longer be able to move at all.

“It will have to be monitored,” Dr. Auldon observed. “This isn’t likely to be the only time the bone will need shaving.”

“Could we possibly coat it in something to discourage the growth?” Lewis mused.

Dr. Auldon shook his head as he pulled more of Riley’s skin back and pinned it out of the way. “No, the bone will always chip and wear at a fractional amount over the course of her life, and she’ll need to still be able to do that, otherwise we’re just wearing away the bone. Besides, there’s nothing effective that wouldn’t cause detrimental friction to their wide range of motility.”

Lewis nodded his understanding. It was a fair point that he hadn’t considered. Despite how much he hated the man beside him and was frightened for the Mer and the woman he loved, he could not deny that there was one base level of comfort doctors and scientists could almost always find in bouncing theories off one another. It was the single way in which he connected to the scientist and while he would never like or trust him, the clinical relationship helped calm a few of his nerves and steady his hands.

Which was a blessing as Dr. Auldon shoved a tiny bone saw into his hands. “Get to work,” the man commanded.

Lewis frowned, not just at being ordered around like an intern, but also as he wondered why the scientist – who seemed rather controlling – would relinquish such a crucial task. He decided not to question it for now and instead leaned over Riley’s prone, sedated form so he could peer into the incision.

Dr. Auldon had already dislocated the hip so they could work, and reset the joint cap into place with a thick, biodegradable cable.

Lewis grimaced as he examined how overgrown the bone shards were. He glanced at the table of tools beside him and picked up a deep-dish spoon with a long handle. He guided it into the gap in the flesh to rest under the bone. He had no intention of leaving the fragments within Riley to stab her and rot. That would be a wonderful way for her to face a severe infection.

Moving in slow steady motions to keep from taking too much, Lewis began to slowly chip off the overgrown pieces of bone. He was silent as he worked, and thankfully – while he could feel the scientist watching him – Dr. Auldon didn’t speak or hover too distractingly over his shoulder.

Once most of the more gnarly pieces had been broken off, Lewis tilted the circular blade to press the flat of it against the bone rather than the edge.

As he did this, Dr. Auldon coughed quietly to attract his attention. “What are you doing?”

Lewis kept his motion rubbing over the bone steady as he spoke. “The Mer have much rounder bone ends than we do. If I just chip everything away, there will be a bit of a flat edge to the bone that could hinder her movement. I’m just filling it down to a more rounded edge instead.”

Dr. Auldon hummed in response and the sound almost came off as impressed. “Carry on.”

Lewis rolled his eyes and then refocused on his task. While it had previously felt like a comfortable temporary truce over the clinical nature of their work, Lewis now felt the hairs on the back of his neck beginning to stand on end. Dr. Auldon’s unyielding gaze seemed drilled onto the back of his neck.

“Why do I feel like I’m being graded?” Lewis finally growled, voicing his annoyance. He paused his work for a moment to turn and glower at the other scientist, who was making him feel incredibly scrutinized. It was delicate work he was doing, true, but that didn’t justify treating him like a grad school intern being supervised through hands-on experience.

“Because you are,” Dr. Auldon responded simply.

Lewis’ frown deepened.

Dr. Auldon shook his head as though exasperated with a child. “Dr. Patter, you are by no means a finesse surgeon nor a scientist, but you have proven yourself capable of impressive improvisation and skill, particularly with dealing with the mermaids, about which very few people know anything at all. Your medical care is a little crude, but sufficient, and that makes you a potentially valuable asset. I do hope you’re aware of the unstable position you and Miss Brooks are in.”

“Yes,” Lewis replied warily. He had an uneasy feeling building in his gut at where the scientist was going, especially when it came to Sophie.

“I’ve already spoken to Miss Brooks about my intent on resolving the potential complications you both now pose. While it may make me sound like a cheesy villain in a film, you both know far too much to be allowed to continue your normal lives. The board of directors are eager to see you in your graves,” Dr. Auldon continued. He casually began rolling up his sleeves as he spoke. “But murder really is a nasty business and I have no real care for it; especially not when there are other possible resolutions to the problem.”

“Such as?” Lewis pressed. He wished the scientist would just make his point so that he could get back to work. He didn’t want to leave Riley on the anesthetic drip for too long.

“Now that we have access to an adult female Mer, I am petitioning to repeat the procedure we conducted with Katherine for Miss Brooks. She would be far greater an asset in a tank where affectionate bonds will allow us to use her to subdue several of the others.”

Lewis frowned as he processed the information. Sophie hadn’t mentioned it, though he supposed there hadn’t been much of a chance, but it still rubbed him the wrong way. He didn’t like the idea of another person he cared about having their free will stripped away and put through a gruesome procedure to change their species. Though, he supposed Sophie might not fully object to it if it meant she could stay with Katie, Luna, and Riley. She would probably give up anything to be there for them. But he also knew the process could just as easily kill her.

“Nothing’s been confirmed yet, of course, but it’s under review. I perhaps would have liked to consider the same option for you, Dr. Patter, as we are facing a distinctively unbalanced gender ratio in our recently acquired pod – and I would like to look into it in the future – but truthfully, we have not done enough testing for a viable male transformation and you’re a slightly more valuable subject than I would be comfortable starting with.”

“Well, gee, thanks,” Lewis drawled with a roll of his eyes. He decided the conversation was pointless and turned back to resume working on Riley’s hip.

Dr. Auldon cleared his throat loudly. “Dr. Patter,” he called with a disapproving tone lacing his voice. Lewis sighed and reluctantly turned back. “Such a procedure is an option for the future if testing goes well. In the meantime, I am considering adding you on as a member of my team.

Lewis raised an eyebrow and stared at the other scientist blankly. Staring at the deluded man, Lewis couldn’t help but scoff in response. “I’m sorry,” he began in a firm tone. “But after everything your people have done, what makes you think – even for a moment – that I would ever want to work for you?”

It was infuriating how nothing ever seemed to get a rise out of Dr. Auldon, who simply stared back silently with a thoughtful, if not mildly amused expression on his face. “Dr. Patter, I would consider choosing my next words very cautiously if I were you. Working as a part of my team is the only chance you have of living into next week. Of course, it would not be a position quite like you’re currently used to. We would not be able to allow you to punch in and out and collect your paycheck like an average employee; you are still far too much of a risk, and there are too many conflicts of interest. But you would be alive, and accommodated as comfortably as possible,” Dr. Auldon pitched as though it were an entirely generous offer. Lewis was fairly certain the man was insane if he truly thought that was a favourable choice.

“In addition, you would be allowed to interact with the mermaids outside of work hours. I imagine that would be a priority for you, yes? To be allowed to continue seeing your girlfriend and adoptive offspring? Regardless of how bizarre Miss Brooks’ attachment to these animals is, she is a valuable player in this game and so are you. I would be much more inclined to keep you both on the playing field. So yes, Dr. Patter, you are indeed being tested, and I do suggest you strive to pass it. Otherwise, as much as I would like to help, you will simply be another name to the list of people Miss Brooks will have to watch die. I’m sure it was very traumatizing to lose her parents the way she did and to bury her daughter at such a young age. I worry what the death of another loved one – a lover and long-time cherished friend – would do to her psyche.”

“You leave her alone,” Lewis growled.

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s far too late for that, and my hands are tied. I am trying to spare you both, however, so a little gratitude and complacency would be appreciated.”

Lewis’ mind was racing. He did not want to work for this creep, but he knew the scientist was right that another loss would be too much for Sophie to handle. Still, it felt like a complete betrayal of the trust of everyone around him. He wanted an option that involved no one else getting hurt. “I won’t help you study them like lab rats,” he muttered.

“Oh, no, no,” Dr. Auldon clucked his tongue. “You misunderstand. You would not be part of the research team, Dr. Patter. No, what I need is a skilled veterinarian that is invested in the continued health and well-being of our assets. Their care has been lacking in the past and I believe putting someone in place who has some empathy towards these animals will be beneficial to our long-term goals. The only times you’ll see an operating table are in situations like this,” Dr. Auldon paused to nod at Riley. “Have you finished shaving the bone?”

Lewis glanced back to examine his work one final time before nodding. “It’s as smooth as it’s going to get. How do you plan to account for the damage to the inside of the joint cap?”

“With these,” Dr. Auldon replied. He walked over to the trolly of tools as held up a small round container full of small, green capsule beads. They looked moist and squishy. “We’ll line the inside of the joint to prevent further rubbing or scraping. It should keep her from favouring that hip due to friction discomfort as well.”

Lewis nodded as he mulled over the solution. It was viable, and perhaps even brilliant. The fluid-filled beads would be a soft, malleable cushion for the bone that wouldn’t get caught or lodged and disrupt movement like something with a firmer density or hard edges would.

“And if they rupture?” he inquired. “She’s a very active Mer and extensive movement might cause the beads to burst.

“They’re designed to compress and keep their shape regardless of motion. They will inevitably degrade over time, but it is not likely that all the beads will burst at once. Each contains a temporary green dye that will stain the bone and show up clearly on an x-ray. The saturation levels of the dye will tell us how many of them have broken. In the case that they need to be replaced, the incision would be a fraction of an inch and the procedure would take minutes. She wouldn’t even need to be sedated, just given a painkiller.”

Lewis nodded as he processed the information. It would work rather nicely. “She’d need an x-ray at least once every two months to keep an eye on it.”

“We’re prepared for that,” Dr. Auldon agreed.

Lewis sighed. After the long speech about Lemuria’s plans for all their fates, he had no interest in agreeing or being on the same page as the man, but he could not deny that Dr. Auldon’s idea was quite brilliant. It would reduce the pain and the risk of further chaffing, without displacing the bone from its socket. It was also probably the least invasive method with the smallest recovery time, which was better for the Mer who could barely sit still for five minutes, much less for days or weeks on end while a major surgery or reoccurring operation was performed.

He held his hand out for the container and the scientist handed it to him without complaint. Lewis could still feel the scientist’s gaze drilling into the nape of his neck, but he forced down his annoyance. Riley was more important.

He carefully pressed several of the beads – which were squishy to the touch and no bigger than half the fingernail of his smallest finger – into place. Once the joint was properly lined, he set the container aside – ignoring the strange green colouring that Riley’s hip now had – and pushed the bone back up into place. He sewed the stitches tightly together so that it would hold the skin better and be less likely to scar, given that more scar tissue was the last thing Riley needed to worry about, especially since it would make further incisions more difficult procedures.

Once he stepped back, Dr. Auldon was quick to take his place and look over his work. The stitches were neat, but still wrenching the skin into the relative place it was supposed to be, so Lewis moved away to one of the cupboards for a sticky pad to cover them with. While he knew that they would be putting her back in a heavy-duty brace belt to keep the bone alignment in place, he still felt obligated to ensure the thick black thread was not exposed since Riley was so squeamish about stitches in the first place.

“Your work is nearly impeccable,” Dr. Auldon hummed as Lewis walked back over and began pressing the pad to Riley’s side. The brace belt came next, and Lewis secured it a notch tighter than it was meant to be. It would not hurt her or restrict her breathing, but it would make sure that Riley did not squirm around and accidentally dislodge it.

Dr. Auldon disconnected the sedative drip but left the IV port in Riley’s hand. He then patted Lewis condescendingly on the back. “Good work,” he praised. “I’m impressed, and I’m sure she’ll be grateful for your actions once she wakes and finds herself in far less pain. Now I suppose we should get both of you back to your respective quarters for the night.”

Loathe as he was to leave Riley, Lewis knew it was an argument he would not win. Especially when he had another one to stir up. “Yes,” he agreed. “And on the way, we can discuss the feeding schedule for the rest of the Mer, because it’s not even adequate right now.”

He was expecting an argument, a refusal or at least a condescending remark, but to Lewis’ surprise, Dr. Auldon merely nodded in agreement and gestured at the door for him to lead the way.


	44. End of the Line

The clock on the wall above the double doors read nine-thirty. It wasn’t that late, but Sophie found her head beginning to dip. It had been another long, stressful day, and she had barely eaten and was barely functioning as it was.

She jerked her head up once more and glanced around. Karina and Luna both seemed to be asleep, and Nero was pacing in his tank like an agitated shark. Rebecca was drooped on the floor of her tank, and her gills were working weakly. Sophie frowned with concern as she studied the emerald Mer. Her chest was heaving, and her head was bowed. Sophie wasn’t the only one who noticed her plight, and she made eye contact with Ixion. The grayscale Mer was looking down at his mate with one hand pressed to the glass separating them.

“Is she okay?” Sophie asked as she nodded in Rebecca’s direction.

Ixion glanced down again and shrugged, then slowly shook his head. He seemed concerned over the woman, but not frantic like Nero had been. Sophie didn’t like them being in any sort of distress, but whatever was going on was not yet serious. Sophie wanted to probe further, but Ixion’s means of communicating with her were essentially limited to ‘yes’ and ‘no’ inquiries.

She was just wracking her brain for a better way to ask when a shrill scream shattered the previous silence of the room. It jolted Karina awake and Sophie saw Nero pull up short while Ixion’s gaze whipped to the tank beside him. Rebecca stirred and glanced over as well, but the glossy, unfocused look in her gaze was incredibly concerning.

The scream was coming from Luna, who’s tail was jerking from a curled to a stretched position in a spasming manner, and she was thrashing side to side in the tank with her eyes squeezed shut and her lips parted wide as she cried out. Sophie would have been impressed with her lung capacity to penetrate the thick glass and echo loudly around the room if it weren’t so gut-wrenching to watch.

Sophie rubbed her wrists together and pulled, trying to find a way to slip at least one hand free of the restraints holding her to the chair. Luna was having a nightmare and an exceptionally severe one by the looks of things. She needed to be woken up before she hurt herself, and Sophie hated the idea of her waking in her small tank with no one to properly hug or console her. Her bad dreams wrecked her emotionally for hours afterwards.

The noise was enough to attract the young man who was standing guard outside. He frowned at the scene and walked up to Luna’s tank with a confused and annoyed look as though the sound was frustrating, but he wasn’t sure how to silence it. After a moment, he kicked the glass wall with a boot. “Shut up!” he yelled down at the young Mer.

Sophie gritted her teeth. This kid didn’t look older than twenty, and she didn’t approve of his total lack of empathy. “She’s having a nightmare,” Sophie hissed angrily. “She’s not awake, she can’t hear you.” She watched him kick the tank again, then saw Ixion strike the glass of his tank with his tail. Luna’s father had his fangs bared and his tail lashed as a warning.

Sophie wrenched at her restraints again. “Look, you want it to stop? Cut me free,” she demanded. “She needs to be woken gently or the situation will only escalate.”

The boy turned to her with a raised eyebrow and scoffed, but he was also glancing between her and the tank as if he were considering it.

“Quickly,” Sophie urged. “Before she hurts herself flailing around like that. You’re supposed to be keeping watch, right? I don’t think they’ll be very happy if she gets injured on your watch; especially if there was something that could be done about it. It’s not like I can go anywhere on my own anyway. You have keys to the tanks, right?”

The boy’s scowl deepened and a hand went to the belt loop of his jeans, where a ring of keys hung. He glanced at Luna once more, who was still sobbing and screaming, and then shook his head and walked behind Sophie. “Don’t try anything,” he hissed at her. There was a sharp tugging and then the band around her wrists snapped. Sophie leaned forward and pulled the ropes free from her ankles before hurrying over to the tank. The boy was fumbling with the keyring and pulled off one with a blue dot on it, and shoved it at her.

He backed up a few steps but continued to hover. It was irritating, but she acknowledged it was the best she was going to get. She jammed the key into the lock and then wrenched the tank lid open. Her arms sunk into the water up past her elbows as she reached for Luna. She grabbed hold of her under her arms and pulled her up to the surface.

Sophie looped an arm under Luna’s tail and hoisted the preteen over the lip of the tank and into her lap properly. Her actions soaked through her clothes in seconds, but that was a minor concern. She could feel multiple sets of eyes drilling into her as Luna continued to cry out and squirm in her arms. She pulled the girl close, wrapping her in a tight embrace and resting her chin on the crown of her head.

“Wake up, Luna,” Sophie prompted as she rubbed the girl’s arm.

Luna was thrashing in her grip and Sophie grunted as she held her closer. It seemed counterproductive, but Luna was always more likely to rouse if she was immobilized. “You’ve gotten stronger, kiddo. Come on, wake up; you’re having a nightmare.”

It took a bit more gentle consoling – and there was a lot more screaming in the meantime – but finally, Luna’s fit subsided and she fell limp in Sophie’s arms. There were already tears watering in her gaze when she finally opened her eyes, and she was quick to cling to Sophie like she was a lifeline.

As Luna’s shoulders began to shake and muffled sobs squeaked past her lips from where she’d buried her face in Sophie’s shirt, the woman carefully readjusted her grip on the young Mer to hold her closer. “Oh, Luna…” she murmured. Usually, she’d assure the girl that it was just a bad dream and that everything would be okay, but it wasn’t, and it might not ever be again, though Sophie loathed considering that at the moment. She struggled for something to say to the ailing child. “Luna. Honey, please don’t cry. Luna, look at me,” Sophie prompted. She guided Luna’s chin up until her bloodshot blue eyes were staring up at her. “You’re living a nightmare,” Sophie acknowledged. “And I wish more than anything I could whisk you away from it, but I can’t. But I need you to be brave, okay sweetheart?”

Luna’s gaze watered with more tears and her fangs poked out as she bit into her bottom lip. Sophie shook her head and wiped away a liquid crystal rolling down Luna’s cheek with her thumb.

She pulled the girl closer into a tight embrace so she could whisper in her ear. “You’ve been through so much, Luna. I know they hurt you; they hurt you very badly, so many times. And they’ve taken so much from you over the years. They stole your freedom, your identity and your memories, your voice, your safety, your trust, and your sanity. And they’re probably going to try to do it all again.”

Luna whimpered and shook her head. Her eyes squeezed shut and her lips parted with dismay, and it broke Sophie’s heart to see. The girl was shaking violently as Sophie drew her back close and wrapped her arms around her once more. “Listen to me, Luna; it isn’t going to be like last time, okay? This time, you’re not alone. You’ll never be alone again. You have me and Lewis, and Katie, and Riley, your mom and dad, and your brother and Karina, and we all love you so much. They can’t take that from you, Luna. They can try to isolate you, but they cannot take away from you how much you are loved or the love you choose to give. And you are not an animal, Luna. You’re not a beast, and you’re certainly not a monster, so I don’t ever want you believing that again,” Sophie instructed firmly. “You are a beautiful young girl with a massive heart and an addictive smile, and you’ve changed several lives for the better.”

“I-I want t-to go home,” Luna whimpered. She fisted her fingers into Sophie’s soaked shirt and clung to her while sobs continued to wrack her body.

Sophie tightened her embrace. “I know, sweetheart, I know. I’m so sorry, Luna. This all got so screwed up; you were never supposed to wind up here again. But Luna, listen to me okay, this is very important. Who you are, Luna, is a smart, beautiful, kind girl, not some freak science experiment for scientists to toy with. What they’ve done to you, they had no right, and you can’t allow them to cast doubt in your mind again. You are _not_ a pet, Luna. Don’t let them have your identity again, they can’t take it from you unless you let them. So hold the people you love close to your heart and remember who you are to us, okay? Who you are to yourself, and who you want to be. They can’t change that. Be brave, okay?”

“Okay,” Luna whispered in agreement. “Please do not let go.”

“I won’t,” Sophie agreed. “It’s okay, I’m right here.”

Luna hummed softly, but it was a weak attempt. The poor girl was terrified, and Sophie hated Lemuria for causing this, yet again. She continued to sit there, gently rocking the young girl. When she looked up over Luna’s shoulder, she could see Ixion staring at her. There was a longing in his gaze, and she knew he probably wished he could be the one comforting his daughter, but when he caught her looking, his head dipped in appreciation. Sophie nodded back. She wished she could do something more.

“Okay, you should really put that thing back now,” the young guard said. He no longer sounded angry or annoyed, if anything there was a tinge of sorrow to his tone, mixed in with an anxious pitch. Sophie glanced at him and saw him shift from foot to foot. “You’re going to get me in trouble.”

Sophie shook her head. “You resolved a problem,” she told him. “If they want to get angry, they can get angry with me.” She buried her nose into Luna’s hair and kissed the girl on the side of her temple. The moment the boy had said something, Luna had clung tighter. She wasn’t going to let Luna go unless they made her.

She wasn’t watching the door, so when she heard it open, she assumed it was the guard walking away, but then she heard the click. When she glanced over, she found herself staring up at Jenny’s face, which was warped into a disturbingly maniacal grin. Her handgun was levelled threateningly with Sophie’s face.

“You shouldn’t have gotten up from your chair,” the woman mocked. “I’ve been looking for a reason to use this, are you seriously going to give me one? Honestly, I don’t know why you’re even still alive, you’re just going to cause us more problems. But I’ll take great pleasure in alleviating you of the burden of breathing, so just say the word.”

“What is your problem?” Sophie countered. She placed a hand to the back of Luna’s head to hold the girl against her so she couldn’t look. She didn’t need anything else to fear right now. “You’re acting as though I’ve personally offended you, but we’ve barely spent ten minutes in one another’s company, so what’s with you?”

Jenny shrugged casually and rolled her eyes. “Let’s just say I don’t care much for being showed up. I’ve worked far too hard for far too long to claw my way up to a decent job, and _Bailey_ and her little runaway stunt nearly cost me all of it. Of course, she’s a star attraction, so there’s not much I can do to her. You, however, are a perfect scapegoat, and you’re dead anyway, so who the hell cares if I’m the one to pull the trigger or not?”

Sophie scowled up at the woman and shook her head. She didn’t know what to make of that, but right now, Luna’s trembling was growing worse again, and that mattered more.

“That’s enough, Miss Barnes.” Dr. Auldon’s voice cut through the tension in the room and Sophie glanced back up to see him place a hand on the flat of the gun and forcibly lower it. “There’s no need for violence, and Miss Brooks still poses a certain usefulness, so I’d prefer there be no accidents unless absolutely necessary…for now.”

“Of course, Sir,” Jenny replied, but there was a distinctive scowl to her face as though she were a child who had just been told ‘no’ to having a slice of cake. She stepped back and let the weapon hang at her side.

When Dr. Auldon cleared his throat, Sophie glanced up at him to find him frowning down at her. “I must admit, Miss Brooks, that I expected you to still be where I last left you.”

“Sophie!” Even as Dr. Auldon finished speaking, Lewis’ voice rose to nearly cut him off. He hurried around the scientist to crouch at her side. “Are you alright?”

Sophie nodded and cradled Luna a little closer. “She was having a nightmare,” she explained to respond to Lewis’ question, but then she redirected her attention to the scientist still standing over her. “She was thrashing around in her sleep and risked hurting herself. This isn’t the first time. Besides, I don’t imagine the screaming was subtle. It would have attracted unwanted attention eventually.”

Dr. Auldon grunted in acknowledgement. “Very well,” he agreed. Sophie sighed with relief that he wasn’t going to argue. Luna was still stuck to her like a barnacle, and the last thing she wanted to have to do was force the girl to let go.

“Wait, what’s wrong with Rebecca?” Lewis inquired with concern thick in his voice. He rose from her side and moved to crouch down in front of the green Mer’s tank. Sophie followed him with her eyes. Rebecca was still hunched over on herself with one arm propping her up. It was shaking and her chest was heaving.

Dr. Auldon must have been concerned also because he stepped around her so he could join Lewis. Ixion had a hand pressed against the glass floor of his tank, and when he looked up and parted his lips, Sophie gently jostled Luna.

“Luna, we can’t hear him,” she reminded gently. She hated to make the girl speak around one of the scientists, but Rebecca was truly looking unwell.

Luna took a shaky breath and nodded. “He says my mother has always had weaker gills. It has never been dangerous for her, but she sometimes has trouble being in water that is too still or if she gets sick. The tank is too small, and she is struggling to breathe,” Luna whimpered.

Sophie looked up with the intent of repeating what was said, but apparently, Luna had spoken loudly enough, because Dr. Auldon nodded his understanding. “Carter, bring that unit over here, please?” he instructed.

Sophie hadn’t noticed the employee that had followed them in, but he was pushing a large cylindrical filter with a hose attached. Clearly, they were already intending to drain one of the tanks.

Within seconds, they had it hooked up to Ixion’s and the machine began to whir noisily. The noise seemed to startle Ixion, who paced for a few moments, then chose the furthest corner he could from the sound and continued to watch his mate carefully. Sophie could see his lips moving, so she gently prodded Luna just in case.

The young girl shook her head. “He is just reassuring her,” she whispered. “She is going to be okay, right?”

Sophie frowned and didn’t respond immediately as she studied the situation. Ixion’s tank was draining, but it was likely to take at least ten or fifteen minutes to empty it. Rebecca was visibly in distress, but she didn’t yet seem to be bordering on suffocation, it was just getting difficult to breathe. Finally, Sophie nodded. “Yeah, I think so, hon. They just have to get at her tank and she’ll be fine.”

Luna was silent for a moment, then “Sophie? I am scared. I do not want to be here.” The words were broken with sobs as Luna nuzzled back against her. Luna always seemed a bit younger than her age, especially when she was distressed, but now Sophie truly felt like she was holding a five or six-year-old child that was terribly frightened and begging her to fix it.

Sophie’s eyes burned with tears of her own as she cuddled Luna. “I know, Luna, I know. I’m so sorry, sweetie,” she murmured as she stroked Luna’s long, dripping locks. Even with her daughter slowly recovering in one of the other rooms – and though it made her feel terrible to think it – Sophie wished she had heeded Katie’s desperate request for her to let go. She had made everything so much worse by contacting Lemuria and instead of losing one life, she was destroying nine. “I’m sorry.”

They stayed like that until Dr. Auldon’s shadow fell over her. He dropped something beside her and when Sophie looked down, she grimaced. It was a pale blue leather collar much like the one they’d pulled around Karina’s neck earlier. Except this one had a rounded dog tag hanging on a ring and the name _Suzie_ was engraved on it. “If you’re going to keep sitting there, make yourself useful,” Dr. Auldon ordered.

Sophie growled in response. She wasn’t going to collar Luna like an animal. Not on top of everything else that was going on. It was too cruel, and Luna was already fighting too much resurfacing trauma. She didn’t need the physical reminder hanging around her neck.

Her hesitation didn’t go unnoticed, because Dr. Auldon nudged the collar closer with the toe of his boot. “Do it, or I will,” he warned.

As much as she wanted to protest, that decided for Sophie. At least she could be gentle and make sure it wasn’t too tight. Refusing would only mean Luna would likely be ripped from her arms and pinned down to have it tightened around her throat. With a sigh, Sophie reached down and gingerly scooped up the collar as though it was an aggressive snake poised to strike.

“You have to sit up a bit,” she requested. Luna moved slowly, and her wide blue eyes were deflated and filled with tears as she pulled away enough that Sophie could access her neck. The girl worried at her lip as Sophie fumbled with the catch on the collar. Once she had it open, she pulled it around Luna’s neck under her hair and buckled it off. She gave it a gentle tug just to ensure that there was enough wiggle room that the girl could breathe, but not so much that it would shift and rub constantly. She didn’t want Luna to get any rashes or blisters from it on top of everything else.

As soon as it was on, Luna collapsed back into Sophie’s embrace and her shivering resumed. Sophie’s heart squeezed. She had spent so much time trying to help Luna overcome her fears and assure her that her freedom was hers to keep, and now she had just sealed it away with a degrading and cruel symbol. It was for the best, Luna was too fragile to have one of the scientists be rough with her right now, but it still made a lump rise in Sophie’s throat. She felt like she had just betrayed the young girl who had been depending on her for months now.

In hopes of distracting herself before Luna picked up on her distress as well, Sophie kept an eye on what was going on with the tanks. They’d gotten Ixion’s tank over three-quarters of the way drained, and the male Mer was now flopped at the bottom of the tank without enough water to keep him buoyant. He was eyeing the scientist and his workers with a wary gaze as they moved about and fussed with the filter.

After a few more minutes, the tank was virtually empty, and Dr. Auldon unlocked it and pulled open the lid. Immediately, Ixion snarled at him and hissed loudly.

The scientist didn’t seem overly phased, however. Instead, he merely stared the furious Mer down. “We have to move you to get to her,” he stated.

Ixion’s growl was cut short and he glanced down at his mate for a moment before slumping.

“Dr. Patter, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Sophie grimaced at Lewis’ annoyed expression, but he didn’t cause a fight in approaching the tank. He did fix Ixion with an apologetic look before bending over and helping Dr. Auldon haul the adult Mer out of the tank. Unlike Nero, who was strong, but quite slender, Ixion had a much thicker, muscle toned torso and tail, and Sophie could only imagine an impressive weight to match. The two men strained a little to get him out of the tank, and then moved it off the top of Rebecca’s.

As soon as Auldon had the lid off, Lewis was reaching into the water. He hugged Rebecca’s shoulders from behind and carefully pulled her up to the surface. She seemed mostly limp in his grasp, but she gasped as soon as her head was above the water. A weak coughing fit ensued, and water splashed back into the tank from the rivets running down her neck. After a moment, she spat out water and began to breathe normally.

She squirmed and shrugged out of Lewis’ grasp, waving him away as she leaned bodily against the wall of the tank. “I am alright,” she rasped, though Sophie could see her body shivering.

Ixion had pulled himself over and stretched his head up until their foreheads touched. Rebecca’s panting was beginning to subside and she smiled softly and closed her eyes. Her lips parted and she crooned quietly to him.

“How long have you had breathing problems?” Dr. Auldon’s voice cut through their tender moment.

Rebecca merely gave him a side-eye glare and chittered something before returning to nuzzling her mate. In Sophie’s arms, Luna began to giggle quietly, and it made Sophie grin. She patted Luna on the back.

“Rebecca…” It was Lewis who spoke up next as he crouched down to be more at eye level with the two Mer. “Is it serious?”

Rebecca sighed and shook her head. “No. I have dealt with it since I was young. I can get laboured for breath if I push myself too far too fast physically, or if I get sick it gets harder. The water was merely too stagnant and compressed.”

“We’ll keep an eye on it,” Dr. Auldon decided.

Rebecca growled at him in response, but he merely stared back. “I do not need your help,” Rebecca warned. “I have taken care of myself and my own for cycles, and the only thing putting any of us at risk is you.”

Dr. Auldon ignored her entirely and stepped up to Lewis. Sophie frowned as she saw two more collars hanging from his fingertips. One was a soft green, the other a light gray. “If you would, Dr. Patter.”

Lewis stared up at the man with a dumbfounded look on his face. He hesitated, before taking the collars and inspecting them. “June? But her name is-”

He got cut off when Dr. Auldon coughed pointedly and fixed him with a glare. Lewis sighed, and then glanced between Ixion and Rebecca. Based on their posture, neither looked very thrilled about the situation. Then Dr. Auldon cleared his throat again and it spurred Lewis into action.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he opened the green collar and held it out towards Rebecca.

The woman looked furious, but thankfully her aggression was not directed at Lewis. It did look like she was going to refuse, however, but then she and Sophie made eye contact, and Rebecca’s gaze slid to Luna.

That moment, in the silence, a lot was conveyed, and Sophie’s heart went out to Rebecca. This was not how she should be experiencing being reunited with her daughter. Rebecca sighed and stretched her neck out a bit so Lewis could tighten the collar around her neck. Sophie saw him tugging on it a couple of times and assumed he was testing it the same way she had with Luna’s collar. It would only agitate them if the collars rubbed, but it was also important – especially with Rebecca, it seemed – that they were not too tight either.

After his mate caved, it didn’t take long for Ixion to accept the other leather circle, but Sophie hated the sight of them. Nero was now the only one of the five Mer in the room without one, and Sophie assumed it was only because they couldn’t get at his tank yet.

Dr. Auldon made his way back over to Sophie, and she frowned as he held up another collar. This one was a reddish-orange colour, but Sophie couldn’t see what was written on the ID tag. “What is that one?” she inquired.

Dr. Auldon stared back at her calmly. “Earlier this morning, I made you an offer, Miss Brooks. One that I still highly suggest that you take. At this point, you have an option. We are going to be draining the other tanks and moving these Mer to a better temporary setup. At this point, with Katherine still recovering, her on the verge of labour,” Dr. Auldon paused to nod at Karina. “And your other one incapacitated after hip surgery – don’t look so alarmed, she’s fine; it was causing her pain, so I fixed it and Dr. Patter helped – regardless, it would not be prudent to risk moving them all home now. I cannot operate on you until we’re back at my lab, but you will make your choice now. You can accept this,” he jangled the collar, “and accompany me down the hall to help move them, or you can go with Miss Barnes out around back to the docks. It’ll be quick, but this is the end of your line. What’s it going to be?”

Sophie could only stare back at him. She still hadn’t quite believed he was serious, and she at least thought she would have more time to figure out a solution, but she didn’t want to undergo that transformation. It wasn’t so much that she was afraid of the pain, but she was afraid of the life that would follow, and she would only be one more person to have to save, rather than someone helping.

But she was no good to any of them dead, and she’d made promises to both Riley and Luna that she would be careful, that she wouldn’t leave, wouldn’t let go. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she felt Luna’s grip on her shirt tighten. The young Mer whimpered and stared up with her with terrified eyes.

Sophie glanced at Lewis, who looked stricken and grim, but he nodded at her subtly. Her gaze accidentally slid to Jenny, who was grinning and patting the side of her gun. “I’ll make it quick,” she offered. “Much better than the other fate, that just might kill you anyway. Your daughter screamed quite a bit; I almost genuinely felt sorry for her. Bullet’s quicker.”

Sophie closed her eyes and ground her teeth together. She finally looked back up at Dr. Auldon with tears burning in her eyes. She hated him so much for everything he had done and was still doing to her family. She gestured for the leather band and sighed, her shoulders slumping with defeat. “Okay. Do it.”


	45. 45. Living Quarters

She had consented to it, but now that it was on, Sophie could not stop fiddling with the tight leather circlet. She had worn the locket for months because it was a thin, long chain, but this was short and close to her throat, and it rubbed when she moved. It had taken her seconds to begin loathing it.

She winced and pulled at it again, hoping that twisting it would eventually cause it to rest in a less irritating fashion.

“You will forget about it faster if you stop playing with it,” Dr. Auldon called over his shoulder.

Sophie scowled and glared daggers into his back as she followed him down the hall. She knew they weren’t concerned with people seeing; most of the staff and all of the visitors would have long departed by now, but she hadn’t anticipated the scientist would make her wear it so soon. It felt wrong.

Luna was still tucked up in her arms as she walked, and she gently rubbed the young Mer’s back. “Are you alright?” she asked the child.

Luna shrugged. She was fiddling with the round metal tag hanging from her collar. She looked as unhappy as Sophie felt, and the simple gesture conveyed enough. Luna was terrified and putting on a brave front. Sophie hugged her closer.

“It’ll be alright,” she murmured to the girl.

Luna didn’t respond, but Sophie felt her fingers brush over her throat as Luna fiddled with the tag on Sophie’s collar. The girl’s eyebrows knitted together and her lips pursed as she began sounding out the word. “Br..br-oh-ick?” she whispered.

Sophie frowned. “Spell it for me, hon?” she requested.

“B-R-O-O-K-E,” Luna replied.

Sophie’s frown deepened and offence prickled in her gut. “Brooke?” she echoed. “Isn’t that just a little too on the nose?” she called out to Dr. Auldon. She was a little annoyed about having her name changed at all, but to that? Essentially her last name? Something about it didn’t quite sit right with her.

Dr. Auldon stopped walking and turned around. Sophie pulled to a stop as well, but his attention was not on her, rather on Luna. He reached out a hand, grabbed the Mer by the chin, and dragged her gaze to him. “I heard she was teaching you letters, but I believed it a pointless exercise. You can read?” he demanded.

Luna’s eyes watered with tears and she whimpered as she tugged away from him and curled closer to Sophie. Sophie cuddled the girl closer and gently kissed her brow. “It’s alright,” she assured the girl. “Only a little,” she reported to Dr. Auldon. “A few words and sounds.” She was lying, Luna’s reading was progressing well. She still struggled with certain sounds and letter combinations, but she was reading young reader level books by herself now. Her progress had been amazing, but Sophie didn’t want to make things any harder for Luna by letting the scientists know that.

“What about writing?”

“We haven’t started,” Sophie lied. “I wanted her to be comfortable with recognizing words first before we began working on that.”

“Keep it that way,” Dr. Auldon warned.

Sophie bristled as the scientist turned away after the dismissive comment. “She has a right to learn,” she argued. “They all do. They’re people too and should be allowed to access any knowledge they wish.”

The scientist kept on walking as though she hadn’t made any comment at all, and Sophie growled under her breath.

She was about to snap something more at him when a hand was laid on her shoulder. The fingers squeezed tenderly and Sophie glanced back into Lewis’ concern filled gaze. He shook his head. “It’s not worth the argument right now. You’re not going to change his mind.”

“But-” Sophie’s protest died in her throat before she’d even voiced it. Lewis was right, and she needed to toe the line with the scientist and focus her attention on the fights that truly mattered. She imagined there were going to be quite a few of them. “Let’s just get this over with,” she sighed finally.

Lewis nodded and readjusted his passenger. Dr. Auldon was having them move the Mer down the hall, and Lewis currently had Rebecca in his arms.

The green-tailed woman looked far from thrilled about being carried, but she said nothing. When she met Sophie’s gaze, however, her chocolate eyes softened, and she dipped her head. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For all that you have done for my daughter, and for speaking up for us. After everything, it is at least a little comforting to know there are decent humans too.”

Sophie offered the woman a smile and fell in line beside Lewis as they walked. She kept a bit of distance, not wanting to bump into Rebecca’s fin. The lime green appendage was drooped over Lewis’ arm and was flopping about as he walked. It did not look comfortable for the Mer, and Sophie didn’t want to make that any worse.

She did take a moment to observe the veiny fluke. It was flat and rounded around the sides, with a scale line that travelled up half the length for extra stability. It didn’t look very much like Luna’s – who had no scales progressing up her fin – or Nero’s – who had a thick cartilage fluke – but it did remind her of Katie’s. Her daughter’s was wider and the scaled sides extended all the way up her fin, but it was not dissimilar to Rebecca’s. “I wonder if…” she trailed off in a quiet murmur, but both Luna and Rebecca’s eyes fixated on her.

Sophie flushed when she realized she’d been caught staring. Rebecca’s brows dipped into an inquisitive furrow and Sophie shrugged. “Sorry,” she apologized. “I didn’t mean to stare. I was just wondering about your tail is all. You, and Luna, and Nero don’t look very much alike when it comes to those physical features, but your fin shape is actually quite a bit like my daughter’s. I was just wondering aloud if that had anything to do with them using Luna’s DNA.”

Rebecca stared at her with a blank expression and then shrugged. “Mer children can inherit the hair and eyes of their parents, and sometimes there are similarities in the scales and fins, but not always. We are born as we need to be to suit our homes and our lifestyles, and it is not unheard of, or uncommon, for Mer to develop further to their survival needs as they age, particularly from youth to maturity; like Riley,” she offered. “Her ‘gliders’ as she calls them used to be quite tiny. I believed they would shrivel with reduced blood flow because they did not grow with her as she aged, and were little more than fist-sized the last I had seen her. It was an interesting surprise to see her with oversized wings now. I have not met Katie, but Luna speaks very fondly of her. I doubt it is a connection to me through Luna. Your daughter is as she needs to be.”

Sophie sighed. “I just hope she’s okay,” she admitted.

Rebecca hummed in the back of her throat, and Luna nodded in Sophie’s arms. Sophie cuddled the girl a little closer as she walked. She knew Luna was still terrified for Katie and had to miss her terribly. The two of them had looked out for one another in captivity the last time, and Sophie imagined that this situation was making Katie’s absence all the wider a hole in Luna’s heart.

“It’ll be alright,” Sophie murmured to Luna.

Luna didn’t respond, but her grip on Sophie’s shirt tightened. With a strained sigh, Sophie carefully adjusted the Mer in her arms so she wouldn’t drop her. She didn’t mind carrying Luna, but the Mer all had a density to them – most of which Sophie imagined was gathered in the tail – and Luna had thankfully put on some more weight in the last several weeks. She was still quite scrawny, and the bones still showed a little around her wrists and hips, but she no longer looked dangerously thin, and her ribs were no longer as defined. Sophie was thrilled with the development, but it made trying to carry Luna further distances just a little bit harder than she’d anticipated.

“Are you alright?” Lewis inquired.

Sophie nodded and shifted Luna’s weight again. “Hon, I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to shift and help me out a little,” she requested softly. At the request, Luna reached up and hugged Sophie around her neck with her chin resting on her shoulder. Once again, it made her shudder as the Mer’s tail coiled around her waist, although Luna’s grip was far less wrapped than Riley’s had been, so it wasn’t as intimidating.

Sophie hugged under Luna’s tail to continue supporting her, but it was now much easier to hold her. “Thank you, hon,” she murmured as she hugged Luna close.

The young Mer hummed in response, but it was weak and shaky. She was too frightened. At that moment, Sophie wished she could purr like Riley had done so she could offer Luna better comfort. Instead, she settled for nuzzling Luna’s cheek.

They had left the primary area of the science wing behind and were now in the back end north halls where the search and rescue offices and rehabilitation pools were. She frowned when she caught up to Dr. Auldon holding open one of the double doors with QUARANTINE stamped in bold red letters across it, with a sign mounted on the wall beside warning of restricted access. “This area is meant to be employees only,” she warned the scientist with a scowl.

Dr. Auldon nodded and held up her keychain. He twirled in between his fingers and shrugged. “Your access keycard has been very helpful, yes,” he agreed. “I do appreciate your cooperation on that.”

Sophie growled as she stared him down. “Don’t be interrupting the work that goes on here. The rescue team has enough to handle on the day to day without tripping over your lackeys and equipment.”

“Relax,” he soothed. “Lemuria has already volunteered extra hands and finances to the department in exchange for the use of one of the quarantine rooms.”

Sophie sighed. There wasn’t much else she could do to argue, but she hated how quickly and efficiently Lemuria had taken over her park, and she was a little saddened that no one seemed to be asking questions about it.

But at least they didn’t appear to be interrupting the day to day workings, or else there probably would have been a few complaints by now. “Which room?” she inquired finally. There was no sense continuing to linger and argue with him. It would get her nowhere and there were still other Mer to move.

“Twenty-Three,” Dr. Auldon supplied.

Hugging Luna more tightly, Sophie shrugged past the scientist and continued down the hall. She didn’t expressly remember what was in each of the quarantine rooms or what their setup was like. But twenty-three was a short walk down the hall, and then she carefully shouldered the double doors open so that she couldn’t bump Luna against it.

The room was large and open and well lit, and half of it was taken up by a large pool of water approximately one and a half meters deep. The room was tiled, as was the basin, and the embedded filter and heater were already burbling softly, though she imagined it would be louder for the Mer. Hopefully, they wouldn’t find it too grating. They used this room for injured or quarantined seals and sea lions, and occasionally turtles and crocodiles so that they could pull themselves out of the water more easily. There was even a sloped ramp in one corner for better ease of access.

The area around the pool was sectioned off from the rest of the room by a temporary but sturdy-looking metal bar fence just taller than Sophie’s waist. It had a gate with a latch, but only offered the Mer a small bit of room to pull themselves out of the water if they wished. It made Sophie’s frown deepen, however.

Though it would certainly be more space than they had now, the pool was not designed to be inhabited by five medium-sized marine mammals, and especially not seven if Katie and Riley ended up joining them. She would have at least liked for them to have some room to get out of the water if they wished.

Also in the room, just off from the doors, was a tank level with Sophie’s shoulders. It was much deeper and wider than the ones the Mer had previously been kept in, but she couldn’t help wondering what it was for, considering it had a filter going and had clearly been prepped for an occupant. Shoved into the opposite corner beside the pool were a medical cot and a singles mattress with nothing more than a sheet on it. Sophie’s heart skipped a beat for a moment as she gazed at them. Dr. Auldon had said that he couldn’t operate on her until they were back in the States, but she wondered if it was a bluff to affect her choice. The medical cot and the separate tank made her wonder, however. It gave her no consolation that things might start right away, and even less that – if that was the case – it looked like they planned to do it here in the same room as all the other Mer.

Sophie swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head to clear it. Lewis had already entered the room and she could hear Dr. Auldon’s approaching footsteps. She would have to face what came as it came, and there was no sense in fretting over it until then. Not when they had bigger problems.

Lewis had opened the gate already to access the pool deck, and he squatted to set Rebecca down. Sophie made her way over so she could do the same for Luna, and Lewis stepped back to make room.

“Luna, you can let go now, sweetheart,” Sophie encouraged when the girl remained clinging to her. “Come on now, it’s okay.”

Instead of loosening her grip, Luna’s fingers squeezed tighter around the fistfuls of fabric they were clenching and she shook her head.

Sophie met Rebecca’s gaze, who’s eyes were sparkling with concern and sorrow. The emerald Mer leaned closed and began rubbing up and down Luna’s spine with a hand. She shoved her tail across the floor to slide closer, and she gently took Luna by the shoulders while chirruping something in their natural language, or at least that was what Sophie assumed it was.

After a moment or two of coaxing, it worked and Luna let go, only to twist around and cling to her mother instead. Rebecca held her close and twined their tails, and continued rubbing Luna’s back. Their lyrical language floated up from her lips once more, accompanied by a gentle purr, and gradually Luna’s shaking began to lessen, though she showed no signs of releasing her hold on her mother.

“Thank you,” Rebecca finally whispered in English. “I could not get to her earlier, and she needed comfort. I have her now, she will be alright, but I appreciate how willing you were to rush to her aid. You are not as I first judged you to be, and my niece was correct about her opinions and her request that I remain open-minded. I would not have my daughter again if not for all you have done.”

Sophie shook her head. “My choices haven’t all been good; you wouldn’t be in this position if I was emotionally stronger. I should have listened to my daughter when she asked me to let her go.”

Rebecca pursed her lips and shook her head. “As a healer, I would agree. I have had to deal with many cases where illness or injury will take the afflicted life, and have had to be the one to make that decision to stop treating, both to end the suffering of a patient and preserve the resources another, less doomed Mer may need. If I was in your place, I would have ended it for her long before she got to the point Lewis described to us. But as a mother, I cannot truly fault you for your choice. I fought for her because I could not accept the loss for what it should have been,” Rebecca admitted as she gestured to Luna. “Sometimes the risk is worth the odds it goes against and sometimes it is not. In this case, I do not know, but you never truly know until you have made your choice. It cannot be changed now.”

Sophie nodded. She felt incredibly torn. She was glad Katie was alive, but she had put so many people in danger to accomplish that, and she still had no idea if her daughter was going to wake or face further complications, so she couldn’t help wondering yet again if she had made the wrong decision.

She glanced back up when the doors opened once more and two more people – the young kid they’d had standing guard and the other man who’d accompanied Dr. Auldon – entered the room. Ixion was suspended between them and looked incredibly uncomfortable, but he wasn’t giving them much of a hard time. Sophie didn’t blame him; if they dropped him, he’d land flat on his back with no way to catch himself.

Sophie had to rise and step out of their way as they carried him through the still open gate. Instead of lowering him down, they carefully tossed him into the water, and the sudden displacement near them sent a wave of water sloshing up over Rebecca and Luna’s tails.

Despite their efforts, Ixion immediately broke the surface and hauled himself out of the water beside Rebecca. He pulled her and Luna into an embrace and Rebecca hummed as she leaned against his chest. They whistled at one another, then Ixion glanced down at Luna and stroked the top of her head. She was still limp and clinging to her mother. When Ixion gave Rebecca a concerned look, she merely shook her head and smiled softly as she resumed patting Luna on the back.

Sophie sighed. It was a far clingier and prolonged reaction to a nightmare than Luna had ever had with her, but she supposed the current circumstances were weighing heavily on the girl and increasing her stress. It was easy to forget sometimes that – despite her actual age of thirteen – Luna was still very young mentally and emotionally. In addition to all the trauma she’d faced, Lemuria had also stunted her mental growth and in many ways, she was still a terrified little girl that needed consoling. It broke Sophie’s heart because she knew when the girl was calm and relaxed, she could smile so brightly and be so playful and carefree. She hated seeing Luna so downtrodden, especially now.

She tore her gaze away from the scene and instead glanced at Dr. Auldon. Her hand came up as she fiddled with the uncomfortable collar once more – in part because it itched and rubbed, and in part because seeing him now reminded her of her fate – and she shifted her weight as she held his gaze.

“What now?” she inquired. She swallowed the heavy lump in her throat and hoped the scientist wouldn’t notice the way her voice trembled as she posed the question.

“Now you remain here,” he replied. “The other two tanks are still being drained and I will have those two brought in once they are. This is where you will all be held until we’re ready to ship out properly.”

“What about Katie and Riley?” Sophie pressed. She wanted to check on her daughters and ensure they were alright.

Dr. Auldon shrugged. “They are both in recovery and will remain where they are for the time being.”

“But can I see them?” Sophie pressed. She didn’t like being separated from the two as it was. They were both incredibly vulnerable at the moment – especially if Riley had just undergone an operation – and Sophie knew she would feel a lot better if she or Lewis were there to look after the two and ensure nothing happened.

“Not tonight, Miss Brooks,” Dr. Auldon refused. “Perhaps tomorrow, provided you continue to cooperate.”

Sophie gritted her teeth and smothered the desire to argue. It was late and Katie and Riley both were probably resting. It would do them no additional good to disturb them right now.

Dr. Auldon didn’t seem inclined to continue speaking with her, as he instead brushed past and made his way over to the three Mer.

Ixion’s eyes narrowed as the scientist approached. He bared his fangs and growled low in his throat. It was a guttural sound, and as it rose in volume, it made a shudder crawl up Sophie’s spine. He was certainly a vicious predator protecting his mate and child. She didn’t doubt that he would be able to rend flesh from bone with little trouble if pressed. She almost felt sorry for the scientist. His arrogance was going to get him severely injured.

If he was fazed by the warning at all, it did little to actively deter him. “Suzie,” he called. Luna flinched as he spoke, but didn’t move from where she sat curled between her mother and father. Dr. Auldon cleared his throat. “Suzie, you’re going to stop moping now and give me your undivided attention or there are going to be consequences. I have need of you, so are you going to behave yourself like a good little mermaid should, or do you need some incentive to comply first? I’m sure you remember your last collar. Nothing has changed.”

Luna whimpered and shifted in her mother’s grasp. Her crystal blue gaze was bloodshot and wide as she turned to look at the man. Sophie’s heart clenched.

As Luna tried to sit up away from her parents, Rebecca’s grip tightened and pulled her back close. She snarled at the man looming over them and hissed furiously. “Leave her alone,” she warned. “Or there will be consequences for you.”

Dr. Auldon pulled a small black remote from his pocket and levelled it at Luna, who fixated on it with a terrified whine. “The two of you had best get in the water before the situation escalates. You will all behave, or I’ll ensure young Suzie pays the price for your collective disobedience. All it takes is the press of a button. I won’t ask again.”

Ixion and Rebecca exchanged a look, then both growled at him again. “Hurt her, and you will not see the next sunrise,” Ixion warned.

“Go.” It was Luna’s soft, broken voice that shattered the building tension in the group. She pulled away from her mother with a shake of her head and tears brimming in her eyes. “Please, just go. It is okay. I do not want anyone to get hurt.”

“Lu-“

“Please,” Luna pressed, cutting her mother off. Rebecca sighed, then hissed and twisted to slap her tail into the water, though she looked incredibly reluctant as she slipped into the pool and prompted her mate to follow. Both of them hovered close by, and Sophie took a step forward. She didn’t like where this was going any more than the others did.

Dr. Auldon snapped his fingers and Luna fixated on him again. He pointed to the mattress on the floor on the other side of the fence penning the pool in. “Go,” he instructed.

There was a moment of hesitation before Luna lowered herself down onto her belly and began to pull herself across the tiles. As soon as she left the threshold of the gate, Sophie moved to pick her up and expedite the process.

“Leave her be, Miss Brooks. You won’t be able to carry them around for much longer, may as well learn to back off and let them do it now,” Dr. Auldon warned. Sophie bit her lip and reluctantly stepped back. Luna was doing well enough on her own anyway, and it only took her a few minutes to pull herself around and up onto the mattress. She sat up and stared with an apprehensive expression on her face.

Dr. Auldon made his way over and knelt to plug in a small machine that was situated beneath the medical cot and beside the mattress. There was a small bag there, and he pulled it out and onto the bed. “If you wish to help, Miss Brooks, come and pull her hair back. A braid, preferably.”

Sophie frowned at the odd request but there was no real harm in tying Luna’s hair up. The girl didn’t always care for it, but also seemed to like it once in a while to have it out of her face. She walked over and knelt on the edge of the bed and patted the spot in front of her. Luna shifted backwards and turned her head so Sophie could get at the still wet locks of hair. She didn’t have a brush, but Luna’s hair was usually pretty compliant, so Sophie simply gathered it up and began to weave it together.

After a moment, Dr. Auldon tossed her a simple black hair tie, and then pulled out a pair of brown coverings. They looked almost like gloves or mitts, but there were no slots for her fingers.

Luna hissed in surprise and tried to pull away when he grabbed her by the wrist, but he held her firm and stuffed her hand into the opening, and then pulled a buckle at the base tight around her wrist to secure it. It only took him seconds to have both her hands sealed inside, and Luna whimpered and shook one hand as she tried to dislodge the sack.

Sophie swallowed a rising lump in her throat. “What are those for?” she asked while fretting about the answer. She finished braiding Luna’s hair and tied off the ends with the elastic before letting it fall against Luna’s spine.

Dr. Auldon didn’t so much as glance at her as he met Luna’s gaze with a stern expression. “We’ll have no more of that nonsense with sign language. These are just for now, but when we’re back home, if I see it so much as once, you’ll never use your hands again, do you understand?” he warned.

Luna was pawing at one hand with the other, and Sophie could see the tension in the girl’s shoulders, but she nodded with a faint whine as the scientist levied the threat.

Sophie scowled. “Is that really necessary?” she protested.

“Yes,” Dr. Auldon replied. “I’ll give your daughter the same warning when she wakes properly, but I trust I don’t now need to make it to you?”

Sophie fixed him with a glare but didn’t respond. She didn’t hold his attention long either, because he reached back into the bag and pulled out a tangle of interwoven wires and lights. The contraption stretched between his fingers, and he pulled it wide and lowered it down over Luna’s head. The young Mer whimpered again and was ignored. “Pull the braid through the larger gap in the back.”

Sophie complied, gently teasing the braid through the gap and then laying it flat against Luna’s back once more. Dr. Auldon was busy pressing the nodes on the ends to Luna’s temples and across her forehead, while the Mer’s fin quivered with anxiety.

“What are you doing?” Lewis inquired as he walked over.

“I want to get a better understanding of these panic attacks,” Dr. Auldon replied. “They’re violent and dangerous, and detrimental both to her and to the future of our aquarium if allowed to continue. I want to know if they can be dampened or stopped, but I first need to know what sort of activity goes on in the brain while she sleeps before I can get medication in place.”

Lewis nodded as Dr. Auldon pulled a long wire from the back of the machine, forcibly turned Luna’s head, and plugged it in at the back of the wire cap. Once it was in place, Dr. Auldon turned the machine on, and the various lights atop the cap flickered.

“You will stay here, and sleep,” Dr. Auldon ordered the Mer. Then he looked at Lewis. “If she begins to panic, do not wake her immediately. I’m going to need at least five minutes of data to properly understand what is going on, so keep her asleep even if she thrashes and screams. After that, you can get her up so she doesn’t injure herself.”

Sophie didn’t like the sound of leaving Luna in such a state like that, but she did know that the dreams were dangerous and if Dr. Auldon could find a way to stop them without harming Luna, then it was worth looking into.

Dr. Auldon stood up and stepped away from the mattress. “I’m going to go check on the other tanks. Dr. Patter, you will accompany me. Miss Brooks, I will be locking the door, but I am showing a fair bit of trust allowing you the freedom to roam the room. She is to stay on that bed or I will get a leash to keep her there, and the others are to remain in the pool with the gate closed. There are no exceptions.”

Sophie wanted to hit him. He had just effectively separated Luna from her family once more, and she needed their comfort now more than ever. She remained where she was seated on the mattress with the young girl though. “Just go,” she growled finally. “You’ve done enough harm here for now.”

He didn’t argue with her and instead made his way out of the room. “Dr. Patter!” he called behind him.

Lewis hesitated and stepped up beside Sophie. “Are you alright?” he pressed. He crouched down and pulled her into a hug.

Sophie cupped his cheek with one hand and pressed a kiss to the other. “We’re alright,” she assured him. “Go, don’t stir up the water more than it already is. We need to keep the peace right now.”

Even as she urged him, Sophie yearned to hold tight to him and had to fight not to call him back as he rose and left the room. She knew it wouldn’t be long before she could no longer be with him properly. In the coming days or weeks, she was either going to die or be put in a tank on display like an animal and their contact would likely be restricted to an absolute minimum.

She heard the lock on the doors click into place behind him, and as soon as they were gone, Luna collapsed into Sophie’s arms again. Sophie rubbed her shoulder and held her as close as she could. “It’s alright,” she assured the young teen. “It won’t hurt you, okay? It just reads your brainwaves is all. So if you have a nightmare, they’ll be able to see how it affects you and try to prevent you from thrashing around and being tormented like you are. Hopefully, it’ll just mean they’ll give you medicine to suppress your dreams altogether and you won’t have any more nightmares. But you should lie down, okay? Get some rest. I have a feeling we’re all going to need it.”


	46. No More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry about missing last week, everyone. I never like to make you all wait two weeks for new content, last week just got hella busy and time got away from me, but here's the new chapter for you all to enjoy. Hopefully, you do.

Luna ran one hand over the other. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest as she fiddled with the fingerless sacks. She had worn them before. Lemuria had done it once or twice through her youth, and Olivia had put them on her when they had broken them out of the aquarium, so it was not a completely foreign sensation, but she loathed them. She hated how helpless and trapped they made her feel. She rubbed at them once more before desperation took over and she shoved one into her mouth to chew at it.

She’d dug her fangs into the leather and began to pull when Sophie caught her wrist. Luna jerked and twisted to look at the woman with widened eyes.

Sophie shook her head and slowly tugged Luna’s hand away from her mouth. “That’s only going to make things worse, Luna,” Sophie murmured. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I made the wrong choice; I should have let her go.”

Luna’s heart was still pounding with fear in her chest, and she swallowed the thick lump in her throat before shaking her head. Sophie looked so devastated and full of regret. “They would have found us either way,” Luna whimpered. She had always known that hiding was only temporary. Despite how hard she had wanted to believe they were free, she had always known it was only a matter of time before their past – her past – caught up again. “I wanted you to make the choice you did. I made the choice too.” Despite her crushing desire to curl into a ball and sob the world away, Luna forced a grim smile onto her lips. “I could not let her die either; I need her.”

Luna felt tears begin to burn in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around her tail, pulling it close to her chest. She dropped her chin down onto the smooth scales and bit her lip. “I need her,” she repeated. “I miss her so much.”

She closed her eyes and felt Sophie’s arm drape over her shoulders. “I know, Luna. I miss her too. Katie’s just down the hall, and I can’t stand not knowing if she and Riley are alright, but maybe we can see about going to check on them tomorrow. I’ll press the issue, I promise,” Sophie vowed. She pulled Luna against her and Luna leaned into the hug with a soft hum. “But right now, you should try to get some sleep.”

Luna frowned and shook her head. She was exhausted and her eyes and limbs felt like they were being weighed down by rocks, but she did not want to succumb to unconsciousness.

“Luna, you need to rest,” Sophie prodded.

“Do not want to dream,” Luna mumbled. She shuddered and hugged her tail more tightly. She was still shaking with the lingering terror of the last nightmare. They were worse now that her reality was just as horrifying again.

Sophie sighed and her hand began rubbing over Luna’s arm. “I know, sweetheart, but you have to brave that possibility; you know that. There was still the risk back home, and you still needed to sleep. We need you at your best right now.”

Fresh tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. She wanted to go into the water with her parents. She felt safer there rather than exposed on the floor like this. She hated feeling this vulnerable.

“Luna, I know the last thing on your priority list is going to be giving Dr. Auldon what he wants, but if you do have a nightmare, the recorded data just might be able to help you,” Sophie pointed out.

Luna chewed her lip and scoffed, though she felt fresh tears begin to burn in her eyes. “I hate them,” she whispered. Luna did not truly enjoy hating anyone – despite her learned reactions of fear and mistrust – but Lemuria had done so much damage, committed so many wrongs, that she could not help the bitter acid that rose in her throat at the mere mention of them. She despised them and wanted nothing more to do with them.

She rubbed her nose on one of the mittens encasing her hands and returned to rubbing them over one another as a feeble attempt to dislodge them so that she would not bite at them again. Sophie was right that such an action would cause more harm than good.

“I do too,” Sophie agreed. “But right now, keeping a semblance of peace is preventing further, more extreme harm. I know it’s hard, Luna, but you need to try to relax so you don’t get yourself all worked up again, alright? I know you don’t like to close your eyes after a bad dream, but at least lie down for me, okay? It’s important to try; you know that.”

Luna started to shake her head again. What she wanted was just time to sit and think. It had all been too much and had happened far too quickly for her to process. She hoped that if she could work things through in her head, then she would feel better about it. It was probably a false hope, but so was depending on others in a confused state. She was tired of obeying simply because she did not know what else to do or had no other choice.

“Luna.” A new voice pulled her from her musings and she turned to stare at her mother. Rebecca was leaned against the bars separating Luna from the pool of water her parents had been locked into. She had spoken softly and although Luna had not known her mother long, there was something in the warm tone that felt comforting. It made her pause and listen, and yearn for an embrace or some reassuring words. Suddenly, she felt small and helpless again, and she wanted it to be made better.

Rebecca did not speak again, however. Instead, she stretched a hand out between the metal rods, twisting to reach her arm out up to her shoulder.

Luna found herself moving before she could even think about it. She pulled herself up closer to the head of the mattress and laid down on her side so she was at a better height to extend her own hand out. She placed her mitten covered hand in her mother’s outstretched palm.

Rebecca rubbed her thumb over the bridge of Luna’s wrist over and over. It was as close as they could get unless Luna disobeyed the scientist’s instructions and shifted off the mattress. Part of her wanted to, but she was more afraid of the consequences of doing so than she was eager to take the risk. Still, the gentle action was enough, and Luna hummed in the back of her throat.

“Close your eyes,” Rebecca requested. Her voice was still patient and tender, and that feeling of security and need rose in Luna once more.

But with it came the bubbling fears and frustrations. She did not want to rest and shook her head once more.

“Yes,” her mother insisted. “Please.”

Luna hesitated. She had defied her mother before – the night they had been captured – and Rebecca had been patient and understanding then. Luna knew she probably would be now too, but Luna did not want to refuse the request; she did not wish to disappoint her mother. Finally, she chose to cave, and her eyes slipped shut. She was exhausted, even if she was avoiding sleep and the nightmares that often awaited her arrival, and a heavy sensation dropped down on her the moment closed her eyes.

Her mother continued to stroke over her wrist, and Luna decided that maybe risking another nightmare would not be so bad if her hand was held while she fell asleep. It made her feel more secure.

“You are not alone,” Rebecca whispered, and her grip on Luna’s hand tightened. “We are here, and I am never going to leave you alone again.”

There was a strangle in her tone, and when Luna reopened her eyes to see, she found tears sparkling in her mother’s gaze. Luna hummed quietly, and a shaky smile spread across Rebecca’s lips in response.

“Close your eyes; get some sleep. I promise we are here to be your eyes and ears while you rest.”

“Can you….” Luna blushed and trailed off. She wanted to beg for a hug, for warmth and consoling, but she also knew that she was not so young anymore – not as young as she sometimes still felt – and it was probably childish to want as she did. She fumbled for the words to ask, and wound up shifting her fingers within their confines in an attempt to hold her mother’s hand better.

Understanding filled Rebecca’s gaze and she nodded. “I am here,” she repeated.

“Thank you,” Luna murmured back. “I am sorry, I just…I am afraid. I want to go home…I cannot do this again, I cannot.” She bit her lip hard enough that the bitter tang of her own blood spread over her tongue. Despite it, she bit down harder so that she could not burst into sobs. She had finally allowed herself to hope that things were going to be alright, that maybe she would never have to face her past ever again. Now she almost wished she had never left it. At least she would not have tasted freedom and hope again.

“Oh honey, you’ve been so brave,” Sophie encouraged. Luna glanced up at the woman. She had shifted a little closer and placed the palm of her hand over the curve of Luna’s scales. “But your mother is right; you’re not alone. Not this time. We’ll figure this out, all of us together. It will be different this time.”

Luna’s lips parted to protest, but before she could vocalize any of her inner turmoil, an echoing melody filled the room. She twisted her head back to her mother, who’s jaws had parted to allow the call to resonate from her throat. It was not English, but there were no words as the vocalization rose and fell like whale song.

It sunk deep into Luna’s being until she felt nestled in the song, and some of her fears began to ebb. Part of her wanted to resist, to wonder if she should be afraid of the heavy limpness crawling up her limbs from the tips of her fingers and fin, up through her arms and tail. But her mother would not hurt her, she knew, and it felt so peaceful that Luna simply exhaled heavily, and her body fell slack against the bed.

Luna never tended to fall asleep easily after a nightmare – not unless she was so overtaxed that her mind and body gave out on her – but she was sinking deeply into it now. She yawned widely and nuzzled down against the sheets of the bed. She felt her arm fall limp, but her mother kept a grip on it.

She was beginning to drift off properly and began to welcome it. But when she inhaled again, Luna was bombarded with an overwhelming scent. One that had been imprinted on her from a very young age, that came with an ingrained terror.

Luna heard the doors swing open, but she had not needed to look to know who had just walked in. She was snapped from the reverie of her mother’s lullaby with a jarring force and her head jerked up to fixate on the door. A quiet whine rose in her throat and she pulled her tail close to her body and hunched her shoulders. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sophie stand and step in front of her, while her mother’s song died with a curt gurgle in her throat.

Jenny was standing in the room too. She had a hand on her hip and a curious grin on her face that sent a shudder down Luna’s spine. She did not hold Luna’s interest for very long, however.

Instead, her gaze jerked to the man who had begun to clap at a slow, condescending speed. He clucked his tongue and Luna flinched at the sharp sound before he began to speak. “Don’t stop on my account,” he mocked. “That was such a lovely little song; by all means, continue.”

Luna sunk low against the mattress and tears began to burn in her eyes. There was an overwhelmingly pungent emotion rolling off the man. He was in one of his moods. It was going to be bad. It was going to hurt. She began to shake uncontrollably.

Luna was not sure if her mother had sensed her distress or simply picked up the terrible vibe off the man, but she bared her fangs and snarled in response to his words.

Dr. Patron clucked his tongue again and lifted a hand to shove back some of his wiry brown hair. “No? Pity. There’s no need for such hostility. I just came to get a look. I thought there would be more family resemblance, honestly.”

Luna’s father growled deep in his chest, and the sound rumbled like thunder in the room. But the threat display of someone who made Luna feel safe and secure did not even make the scientist flinch. Tears slipped down Luna’s cheeks. There was nothing her father could do. He was a beast in a cage for the moment. She was once again, entirely alone, only this time, there would be others around to watch her torment. Those she cared about and who cared for her; that it made it worse.

The mattress dipped – forcing Luna to brace herself better with her palms – as Sophie stepped up onto it. The woman’s back was to her, but she also was backing up until she bumped Luna’s scales with the heel of her one foot. Sophie glanced over her shoulder as she nudged Luna again with her foot. She gestured with her chin back towards the gurney behind Luna.

Luna frowned. She wanted to ask what Sophie was doing, but the woman had already turned her attention back to Dr. Patron, who still seemed focused on both Luna’s parents. Luna glanced back to where Sophie had indicated, but there was nothing behind her other than the crossing legs of the gurney.

After a moment, Sophie nudged her with her foot again, a little more firmly this time. She did not turn to look at Luna again though.

Luna glanced back once more and understood. Sophie was blocking her from line of sight, and her parents were currently holding the scientist’s attention. Luna’s heart lurched with concern for all three of them; no one deserved to be the focus of Dr. Patron’s attention.

Another nudge and Luna turned and dove under the gurney. She had to clamber over the twisting bars supporting the cot, but after a moment of effort, she slithered into the far corner against the wall and tucked herself into a ball with her heart pounding in her chest. She knew this would not deter Dr. Patron, and she hoped that her family would not put themselves in danger to protect her from something inevitable. Her chest heaved as she sucked in a desperate breath.

She heard Dr. Patron cluck his tongue again, and she gulped and hunkered lower. She was ashamed of her fear, and that the others were going to try to protect her. “I can see I’ll have my work cut out for me,” Dr. Patron commented. He sighed heavily, but the giddy glee in his tone betrayed his faux disapproval.

Luna bit her lip to keep from whimpering aloud, and cautiously shuffled away from the wall a little to peer at the situation. Dr. Patron was tapping his foot on the ground as he regarded her parents, who each wore a warped snarl on their features and held his gaze just as evenly.

“I’ll be sure to teach you both some proper manners in due time, but alas, I’m not here to play with you two today.”

Though she could not see his face, Luna flinched when she saw Dr. Patron’s shoes turn in her direction. She knew that the gurney would not protect her, nor would Sophie truly be able to – and she hoped the woman would not put herself in harm’s way in a hopeless effort – but she was too terrified to do anything but cower squashed in the corner as she was.

“Leave her alone,” Sophie growled. Luna squeezed her eyes shut and worried at her lip. She knew she should crawl out and face her fate so that no one else would get hurt, but she was shaking so badly she could not get her limbs to obey.

“You’re not in a position to be giving orders,” Dr. Patron scoffed.

Luna peeked one eye open and watched Sophie shift her weight. She was still standing on the mattress, and Luna was not certain if that was so she would be in his way, or to make her taller than she was. Possibly it was both, but neither truly mattered.

“This is still my marine park,” she stated. “Thus far, I have tolerated Lemuria’s presence, and only barely, because of the brokered peace that they would remain unharmed. If you touch her, I promise you that democracy goes out the window, and I _will_ have you all thrown out and banned. You’re not welcome nor wanted here, so leave. You’ve done enough harm to that little girl.”

Dr. Patron’s boisterous laughter echoed in the room and made Luna tense further. “Because you did such a good job taking care of them, right? You know all about what she needs? Because the other one has still barely left the brink of death for all your efforts amounted to. No, that little demon is _my_ mermaid, and I’ll decide what is and is not enough for her. Now get out of the way, _Brooke_ ,” Dr. Patron drawled. “You’ll get your turn soon enough.”

Luna winced. It was not fair to blame Sophie for Katie getting sick. Sophie had done all she could for them and had taken the risk to Katie’s life very hard. They all had. Not that she expected the scientist to care – and she was not surprised he would fling that at Sophie now – but it was still wrong.

“Get out!” Sophie hissed. “Right now. You have no business being in here, and I won’t just stand by and let you torment an innocent child all over again.”

Dr. Patron took a step closer to Sophie, and Luna found herself leaning forward. He had grabbed Sophie by the collar around her neck and pulled her up onto her toes. “Let’s just be clear,” he warned. Luna watched him stroke the side of Sophie’s face, and she shuddered. The rancid smell of his mood thickened, and she nearly gagged on it. “You are a pawn, Brooke. You always have been. You have no power here. Whether you used to own this facility or not, Lemuria now owns you, and by extension, this place. And since I am heading this retrieval operation, you’re at the mercy of my generosity. I suggest you remember that.”

For a few heartbeats, there was no response, but when Sophie finally did speak again, her voice was terse, and it sounded as though she were speaking through gritted teeth. “They are people. With dreams and fears and emotions, and this is a family you are trying to rip apart. You cannot just box them up and treat them like animals; they are not.”

Luna shook her head, though she knew Sophie could not see. There was no reasoning with the scientist. He took pleasure in causing pain.

“But they are, Brooke. And you will be too, soon. You’re all animals, pets because you are what I say you are, and that little beast you’re trying to hide under the bed is proof of that.”

Luna bowed her head and hugged her chest. He was right. She hated it, but it was true. He had controlled her life for so long it had been all she knew. He starved her and hurt her and gave her only the bare minimum to keep her alive. And still, despite all the abuse, she played along. Played his game. She hissed and struggled and fussed with his interns and workers so he would have an excuse to punish her. She showed feeble hostility to him because he hated it when she retreated into her head. He hurt her time and time again, and she helped give him reasons to do it because she knew the consequences of him getting bored were so much worse. He called her an animal and a monster, and she had believed him for so long because she had known nothing else. She had betrayed her sense of self by forgetting it in the first place, and before Katie; she had completely given up. She could feel that old mentality, that suffocating hopelessness creeping back into her heart even now.

Sophie had asked her to be brave, and Luna was going to disappoint her. She was not brave, she was weak and broken and frightened. A meaningless amusement in a terrible man’s twisted game. She had never wanted to play, but she always did; she had no other choice.

Sophie did not seem to think so, though, because Luna heard the woman spit and saw Dr. Patron’s body tense. Luna’s heart stalled in her chest, but before Dr. Patron could react, Sophie lifted her foot and drove her knee up between his legs.

Luna frowned as she heard Dr. Patron groan and his legs seemed to bow for a moment. He had let go of Sophie and his hands moved to the area of impact. Were humans vulnerable there?

Still, Sophie had hit him. While she knew that he was still just a human being, Luna had begun to believe that retaliation was unachievable. She still remembered the last time she had tried. She did not remember what prompted it or if she had succeeded, but she remembered what had come next. It had been one of the worst times. She never tried again; not genuinely.

When Dr. Patron straightened back up, there was rage mingling in the room, and Luna found herself resisting the urge to curl back up into a fetal position. “It has been a long time since someone has struck me…I’m going to enjoy this little game immensely. But for now, I have other things to attend to. I’ll remind you, that you now exist on the whim of my kindness. So, I suggest you learn some proper respect and work on your basic listening skills. The next time I tell you to get out of the way, I suggest you move,” Dr. Patron growled. His hand moved back towards her neck, and in the next moment, he swung to the side and dragged Sophie with him.

Sophie choked and then was sent flying. Luna winced as she heard Sophie’s body connect with the hard ground a few tail lengths away. Sophie cried out as she struck the ground, and her body shuddered. She looked like she was moving to get up but then crumpled back to the floor with a pained moan.

“Sophie!” Luna cried. She lurched forward in hopes of reaching the red-haired woman, without really considering her surroundings. Immediately, she was yanked to a stop with a hiss of pain as her hair was pulled. Dr. Patron had caught her by it and was now pulling the long tail of hair up. Luna whimpered as it pulled at her scalp, and her useless, mitten-covered hands rose to paw uselessly at the air as she reached to find his hand.

Dr. Patron clicked his tongue again and Luna froze before her shaking began again. It was no longer just a nightmare.

“There you are,” Dr. Patron purred. Though he still held her by her braid, his other hand plopped down on her scalp and patted her head a few times. “Hide and seek was never high on my favourites list, but you seem to like it very much, don’t you? I trust you know there will be consequences at being found.” His hand moved and he shook her aggressively by her hair. “I heard about your little secret, Suzie. I almost want to be impressed that you kept it so well for so long, but you lied to me. I’m very disappointed in you.”

Luna whimpered as he shook her again, and fresh tears blurred her vision.

“Luna…” Sophie groaned. “Just leave her alone.”

“Miss Barnes, deal with Brooke, please. Secure her to the fence so she doesn’t cause any more trouble.”

Jenny scowled down at Sophie, who was still crumpled on the ground. Luna was not sure what was wrong with her, but she hated that Dr. Patron had caused someone else pain too. She hated him, but her fear of consequence was too great to challenge him.

He still had her by the braid, but he seemed to have lost interest in doing anything more with her other than leave her half dangling in his grasp to watch as Jenny put away her ‘gun’ and stooped to grab Sophie under her arms and drag her over to the fence.

As she was moved, Sophie winced and bit her lip, though Luna still heard her poorly stifled whimper. Dr. Patron had managed to injure her, though Luna saw no immediate blood or injury. It must have been something inside.

Jenny pulled Sophie’s hands together behind one of the bars and had just finished tying them off when she had to hastily jump back as Luna’s father thrust up out of the water and snapped at her. The woman’s startled shriek was rather satisfying, though Luna did not dare smile.

Once Sophie was secured, Dr. Patron tugged harder on Luna’s hair and shook her by the roots once more. Luna gasped as the prickles of pain in her scalp worsened to a burn. “Now to deal with you, my little pet. I’m very disappointed with your bad behaviour. Running off like you did, hiding, lying and keeping secrets. You have been very disrespectful, and I thought I had at least taught you that,” Dr. Patron snarled. Luna recoiled at the fury blazing in his dark eyes.

A sharp hiss echoed through the room before Luna had a chance to react to the threats. Rebecca’s warning deepened into an intense growl, and saliva was running down her chin from her bared incisors. Her eyes were narrowed dangerously, and she had hunched – but not defensively like Luna often did – but rather to tense her muscles and flare her fin behind her. “I will only warn you once,” she snarled in her slightly awkward English. “I have heard of your unnecessary cruelty, and given the opportunity, I would happily rip your throat out. But if you do not release my daughter immediately and depart, you will not leave this room alive.”

Dr. Patron’s bark of laughter made Luna jump. She gritted her teeth together to suppress her discomfort. It felt like he was trying to rip her hair free of her skull, and it was far from pleasant. “Silly little fish,” he mocked. “You don’t get to issue threats around here. You’ll behave, or I’ll take it out on this precious darling.” He began patting Luna on the head once more, and she shivered and twisted in his grip despite the pain. She wanted desperately to get away from him.

“If you hurt her,” her father growled. His tail raised and smacked down on the floor with a sickening crack, and a few white shards splintered into the air.

“I’m going to punish her,” Dr. Patron corrected. “But you’re welcome to watch. Let it be a lesson on where disobedience and aggression will get you with me. I suppose it will also be a preview, as I intend to break the rest of you in just as efficiently.”

Ixion roared in response and bared his fangs.

Luna shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut. She was afraid. She was afraid of the pain she knew was coming and afraid of his temper. She was terrified about being hauled back to the Lemuria Aquarium, and what it meant for the friends and family that were being dragged into the mess with her. She was scared of her past and all it had taught her, and the memories that had an icy grip on her heart and were keeping her compliant. But mostly, she was afraid of anyone else getting hurt because of her. She did not want to be helpless anymore.

She felt tears sting in her eyes as she reopened them, and it happened to be Sophie’s pained gaze that she met. Understanding glowed in the woman’s eyes and she nodded. “You’re not a pet,” she whispered, and though Luna had to strain a little, she still caught the woman’s words. “Prove it.”

Dr. Patron’s grip tightened on Luna’s hair and he pulled her even further off the ground. As more of her weight was suspended by the follicles, Luna finally cried out again, and the man began to laugh at the enraged reactions of her parents. The fence around them was too tall to scale, though that did not seem to stop either of them from trying.

Dr. Patron sighed and gave Luna another shake by her hair. “This is proving to be quite the disruption. I see where you get your disobedience from. No matter, I’m sure this demonstration will be a lesson for all of you, isn’t that right, Suzie?”

Luna bristled. She hated that name. She hated how he said it, with that condescending tone as though it was the name of an animal, or something even lesser. Even now, when he knew they could speak and was openly conversing with them, he was doing it in a way as though none of them mattered in the slightest. It was not fair, and Luna was tired of it.

She had endured so much pain over the cycles and was bound to endure more. What difference did it make at this point if the punishments were earned or not? He was going to hurt her either way.

She finally let some of her anger free after so long stewing. “Luna,” she corrected in a terse hiss. “My name is not Suzie; it is Luna.”

Dr. Patron released his grip on her hair, only to plant his boot against her abdomen as she fell from his grasp. She coughed as she landed on it, and then he shoved her away. “You don’t get to decide that,” he countered.

Luna growled at him. “I am not a pet,” she argued. “I am not an animal or a beast or a monster. You are the monster. Everything you have done, it is cruel and pointless, and you delight in it. At least I am capable of compassion and empathy and understanding. At least I am a person.”

She heard Sophie’s hum of agreement behind her, and Luna pushed herself up despite the ache of the bruising around her rips, to puff out a little more. “I will not play your game anymore.”

“Oh yes you will,” Dr. Patron stated. “I almost liked you better when you were a mute little toy, though I always did miss your screams. I’ll enjoy making up for lost time, for sure. But you are nothing more than what I make you.

When Dr. Patron took a menacing step towards her, Luna shrunk back on instinct and a lot of her courage fled.

He stuffed a hand into his pocket and pulled out a small black case. Instantly, stifling horror clogged Luna’s senses and she shook her head. The desire to curl into a fetal position swamped her once more.

As he stepped even closer, Luna felt a strange feeling blossom in her chest. It was an acceptance that mingled with her fear. Dr. Patron delighted in her fear and her pain, and he sought to control her. But while he could scare her and hurt her, he could not control her as much as she had allowed him in the past. Sophie was right; there were things he could not take from her, and she was not alone this time.

Knowing that gave her one final burst of courage and she decided to test an earlier curiosity.

The scientist who had haunted both her waking world and her nightmares for years now loomed over her again. Luna braced her palms on the hard floor and shoved her weight up. Her arms shook, but they held her as she swung her tail up between the man’s legs and connected with all the force she could muster into the armoured limb.

This time, it was the scientist who made a pitiful, pained noise, and his skin turned ashen as he collapsed near her. Tears blurred Luna’s vision as she shook her head and bared her teeth, though she no longer felt menacing. “No more,” she sobbed.


	47. Overflow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an important note before we proceed with the chapter. As I'm sure people have figured out, two weeks ago, I posted a chapter with a major character death, that you now won't find now if you go looking for it. That chapter was a prank, so if you didn't read last week's chapter because it looked like chapter 46, which was uploaded two weeks ago, go read it, it's different, I promise. I know it was mean, it was a one time bit of fun. Happy Not April Fools, lol. It was really just a joke that I had to play across all servers to work that was suggested to me. So the blue cinnamon roll is alive, don't panic or be confused about last week's chapter. It's all good, and it was only a one time thing. 

Having to lie still while her body ached and muscles burned was an unpleasant experience, especially when compounded with a parched mouth and a shrivelled stomach. But Katie had no choice but to keep lying there – even if she desperately wanted to roll onto her side and stretch – on account of the restraints on her wrists. They were secured to the bed up near her shoulders, giving her no leeway to move her torso at all.

She lifted her fin and flopped it back down as she sighed. She had woken up – though she was not certain how long ago because the clock in the room was behind her – and Riley wasn’t there. It was making her anxious because she knew they had moved her friend, she just wasn’t certain of where or why, or what could have made Riley go without a loud commotion. It would have woken her if Riley had resisted, but had she been coerced or sedated was what Katie really wanted to know. She hoped Riley was alright, either way.

Katie smacked her lips and sighed. She desperately wanted a drink of water, if nothing else. The air conditioning was on, but it was still incredibly dry, and she was feeling the need to pant.

She winced and tried to arch her back off the table. Her body was sore – probably from lying prone for as long as she had – but her back was throbbing, especially up between her shoulder blades. It was concerning given the IV tube still dripping omega fluid into her. No one seemed to know if there would be side effects, and it wasn’t lost on her that Riley and Luna were two entirely different Mer, and she now had a high concentration of both their genetics. She wasn’t a scientist, and genetics was never her strongest suit in biology class, but she figured there were probably risks to that. She wasn’t sure what they might be, but she couldn’t help wondering if it was the source of her pain.

She rolled her shoulders, trying to alleviate some of the pressure. It didn’t work and she fell limp with another sigh and closed her eyes. Maybe if she could fall back asleep, she could escape it for a little while.

As she lay there listening to the beeping of the monitors and the drumming of her own heart, feeling like she was beginning to lose her mind, Katie heard the door open. At first, she didn’t move. Sometimes it was safer to appear asleep with Lemuria. They were sometimes inclined to leave her and Luna be. Sometimes.

Katie inhaled deeply as she tried to drink in the person’s scent, but she wasn’t very good at deciphering scents. She was hoping Riley could teach her how to read the sensory overload she received when she tried. She did know it was familiar.

“I know you’re awake,” the newcomer murmured as they laid a hand on Katie’s shoulder. “People breathe differently when they’re asleep. It’s hard to truly fake to a keen eye.”

Katie sighed and her eyes fluttered back open. Lukshia was leaning over her, with her hair tied into a tight French braid that was then twisted up and pinned atop her head. She was dressed in dark colours as usual, but something was glittering in her dark brown gaze that made Katie’s heart sink. “Lukshia…” she rasped.

A wry smile pulled at Lukshia’s lips and she sighed. “Hey Katie,” she greeted in a low, whispered tone. “It’s good to see you open your eyes; you weren’t looking so hot last time I saw you. How are you feeling?”

Katie’s brows furrowed. “What are you doing here?” she rasped. “You’re supposed to be with Luna and the others.”

Lukshia didn’t reply. Instead, she moved away from the medical cot and opened a cupboard under the small sink for washing hands and equipment. She crouched down and pulled out a water bottle before returning to the bedside. Katie watched her twist the top off and then angle the bottle down towards Katie’s lips. “Here, drink something,” she encouraged.

Katie gulped gratefully at the water pouring down her throat. She was parched and though the water was still rather warm, it felt incredibly soothing.

After a few mouthfuls, Lukshia pulled the bottle away and Katie took a moment to catch her breath. “Lukshia?” she queried again. Her question still hadn’t been answered.

Lukshia sighed and shook her head. “They’re here too, Katie.”

Katie’s heart squeezed and she glanced around for any indicator that Lukshia was wrong, though she knew that wasn’t true. “No….” she breathed. “No, but how…What about her parents?”

“Everyone’s here, Katie,” Lukshia sighed. She reached out and brushed some of Katie’s hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. “Lemuria has taken over the park; rather efficiently.”

Katie frowned and shook her head. “Sophie would never let them…” she trailed off as Lukshia gave her a pointed look. “No, this park is Sophie’s life. She and Lewis worked to make this a reality before I even existed….but she would to protect us….I’m sorry,” Katie sighed. “You got captured because of us. Because of me…because I got sick.”

“That was not your fault,” Lukshia refused. “You can’t hold yourself responsible for getting sick, nor for the choices made while you were unconscious. You have nothing to be sorry for, Katie.”

Katie sighed and averted her gaze. “I suppose not. Where are the others? Where’s Riley? Does she know the others are here?”

Lukshia shrugged. “They have the other Mer set up in a room in the Search and Rescue Quarantine wing, I believe. Sophie and Lewis are with them, and they’re not letting them leave. Otherwise, Sophie would probably have already come down here to check on you. I don’t know where Riley is or if she knows about the others. I imagine if she doesn’t, she will soon.”

Katie nodded. That made sense. Riley’s senses were highly attuned. It wouldn’t be long before she picked up the scent of Lewis or the other Mer on someone and found out; if she didn’t already know what was going on. Katie still wished she knew where her friend was or that she was alright. It seemed too quiet for someone to have picked a fight with Riley, and the silence was more concerning than signs of a scuffle.

She also missed Sophie and Lewis and Luna and hoped that they were alright. She wanted to see them, but if they were being kept in quarantine as Lukshia said, she probably wouldn’t get to for a while. “Wait…if they’re in quarantine, how are you in here? Of all people, I wouldn’t expect them to let you wander, you’re probably the most skilled and dangerous of us all…did Lemuria actually capture you?”

Lukshia regarded Katie’s gaze calmly and then shook her head. “No, they didn’t.”

Hope blossomed in Katie’s chest at the news. Lemuria didn’t know Lukshia was here. They could still get away. “Oh, okay, that’s great…what’s the plan?” she inquired. She then winced as another flare of pain stole her attention away from the conversation. She tugged at the restraints holding her down. “Can you let me up, please? I need to stretch, and it’d be easier to talk that way.”

Lukshia pursed her lips and sorrow glistened in her gaze. “I’m sorry, Katie,” she whispered. “But I can’t do that.”

“Why not? I mean, it has to happen anyway, right? I can’t exactly help you with an escape plan if I’m tied down like this….” Katie trailed off as the grim expression lingered on Lukshia’s face. “Right? That’s why you’re here?”

Lukshia looked away and Katie’s heart sunk like a stone. She cast her gaze down as she realized. “Oh.” Tears burned in her eyes at the sharp sting of betrayal, and her hopes died, snuffled like a candle flame in the wind. It made sense now. They had been well hidden in a secluded cabin off the grid in a difficult to access area. The chances of Lemuria finding that place were slim unless someone tipped them off. And Lukshia would have known immediately when Luna’s family arrived.

“I’m sorry, Katie,” Lukshia replied with a rueful tone to her voice. “It’s nothing personal.”

Katie scoffed. “No, of course not. The lives of innocents depended on you and you sold them out, but I’m sure it was never anything personal.”

Lukshia placed a hand on Katie’s shoulder and Katie shrugged it off. “It wasn’t like that, Katie. I’m a bounty hunter, not a miracle worker. My resources are finite. When someone like me goes to war with an international, government-supported corporation like Lemuria…you do that and you wind up in prison, dead, or worse. Dead is dead, and I’ve helped put a lot of people away all across the globe, I would not survive prison and I have no intention of dying or living my life in a cage, prison cell or otherwise. I was genuinely rooting for your survival.”

Katie shook her head as tears burned in her eyes. “Then why didn’t you just cut your losses and run? You didn’t have to turn around and join the other team. We trusted you.”

Lukshia sighed. “That’s the problem, Katie. You shouldn’t have. Maybe at first, because you didn’t have another choice…but in a situation like yours, blindly trusting a friendly face or a perceived offer to help…that’ll get you killed. Your friend knew that; she might very well have ripped my throat out if Lewis hadn’t vouched for me and managed to talk her down.”

“So because I try to see the best in people, my family deserves to be locked up and tortured? Luna deserves that, and her family?”

Lukshia shook her head. “Of course not, and it’s heartwarming to see someone with such a positive view of the world – especially after everything you’ve been through – but people have let you down before, Katie, several times. You have your family to protect, so stop letting outsiders put it at risk. Sophie and Lewis both seem like they’d take a bullet for you girls. They just might before all this is over. I don’t think Luna means you any harm, but she’s been through years of psychological abuse and conditioning, and you don’t know what triggers she might have, so I would be careful even there. I don’t know about Riley. She seems loyal and trustworthy, but in your position, I would question everything. You’re the only one you can truly trust, Katie.”

“What about Olivia?” Katie countered. “You seem to trust her enough to break into a government facility and risk everything because she asked you to. Or was that all some bigger ploy too?”

Lukshia grimaced. “Olivia is my weakness, Katie. We all have one. No one is perfect. It’s true, Olivia very well could be coerced or persuaded into betraying me, and I’ll have to live with the consequences of that; but that’s my cross to bear. You need to worry about yourself now. Decide what it is you care about, what you need to protect, and what you’ll risk to do so, and consider the various threats to that before you depend on others outside of it.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Katie sighed. A tear slipped down her cheek. “What do you care anymore?”

Lukshia brushed away one of Katie’s tears and took a seat on the side of the medical cot. “I can’t help you anymore, Katie, but that doesn’t mean I wanted you to end up a display piece. I am still rooting for you, Katherine, but you’re on your own now.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Katie muttered. She closed her eyes and more tears leaked from behind her lids. She was tired of being treated like an animal and a thing, and lesser than those around her. She already felt that way on her own, without people betraying her trust and reminding her of her own inadequacies. “Just go away, Lukshia. You obviously don’t want anything to do with us anymore, so don’t waste your time.”

“Don’t be bitter,” Lukshia scolded. “It is naïve to blindly trust, but only the fool refuses advice when it is offered. You have a disadvantage in this fight, Katie. You are losing, but you have not lost. You have the body and abilities of the Mer – which are rather impressive from what I’ve observed – the mentality and upbringing of a human being, and you’re too valuable to your enemies to kill. You have more than you think in your fight. You just have to stop depending on everyone else now. Be strong.”

Katie turned her head away from Lukshia. She wasn’t so much angry as she was disheartened. It felt like every time they stood a chance, things went wrong, and this betrayal stung even worse than Jenny’s had. She had genuinely liked Lukshia and Olivia and had hoped she could count on knowing a few friends in America if she ever wound up there again.

She heard the woman sigh. “Good luck, Katie,” she murmured before the door squeaked open on its hinge and then swished shut behind her.

Katie took a shuddering breath and broke down into heavy sobs. Her fingers curled into fists and she bit down on her lip as it quivered. Her entire family was now held captive, and she did not know if Sophie or Lewis were going to be safe. She wouldn’t put it past Lemuria to kill them in a fake accident that would close down the park. Luna and her family would be dragged back into captivity along with her and Riley. Everyone else in the world who knew her thought she was dead, and she knew they couldn’t count on Olivia looking again. Not if Lukshia told her there was nothing she could do.

It felt like every final hope she’d had, every chance to come to grips and forge a new life had been wrenched from her. She and Luna had talked in hushed whispers about what would happen if they went back. It was always a grim conversation. Katie didn’t need to have it to know. Security would tighten, they would always be watched. And this time, there’d be more of them to torment. Katie just wanted to feel like a person again, not an animal on display or a fugitive in hiding, but a normal accepted human being. She supposed that so long as she had a tail, that was never going to happen, but some sense of normalcy was all she truly craved anymore.

***

Time seemed to pass in a daze. Katie had exhausted herself in a fit of sorrow, and now the pain between her shoulders was growing worse. Despite her hurt and anger, part of her almost wished Lukshia would return just so she would have someone to talk to and distract her from the discomfort. It only continued to grow worse as time went on. Katie’s body weight was exacerbating the issue, and Katie began to tug flutily at her restraints. She just wanted to sit up.

Finally – after what felt like an eternity – the door clicked back open once more, and Katie’s attention whipped over to see who it was.

A man who looked to be in his mid to late twenties had his back to her as he backed into the room pulling a gurney with him. Riley was sprawled out on it. She wasn’t strapped down, but her fingers were dangling limply over the edge of the gurney. Her hair was strewn messily across her face, but Katie could see one of her icy blue eyes cracked open, but it was unfocused and rolled back in her head.

The man pulled the gurney up beside Katie’s and began moving around it to lock each of the wheels.

“What’s wrong with her?” Katie inquired.

The man started and his attention whipped to her. He had buzzed brown hair and his gray-green eyes were widened and a little spooked. He obviously hadn’t been expecting her to speak, probably didn’t know she could. Katie resisted the urge to roll her eyes and stared him down expectantly as she waited for an answer.

“Oh, uh…she just got out of surgery,” he reported. “Dr. Auldon said she was given some pretty heavy painkillers and that she might be rather dazed for a while.”

“What kind of surgery?” Katie pressed as she twisted to get a better look at Riley. She didn’t like the idea of them drugging her and performing an operation. What had made her let them?

“I don’t know,” the tech admitted. “I was just told to bring her back here and make sure there are no side effects to the medications. He anticipated you would still be unconscious.”

Katie winced and rolled her shoulders. “Well, I’m not,” she replied. “Listen, I don’t really care if you’re staying; goodness knows we don’t get a say, but if you are going to linger, do you think you could loosen these?” she asked as she tugged on the restraints for emphasis. “Because I’m actually in a fair bit of pain, and I just want to stretch and roll over. Please.”

The tech hesitated, ducking his head and shifting his weight. “I don’t think I should be messing with that, I’m afraid. I can probably put some painkillers in your IV though. There’s nothing on these charts prohibiting it…” the tech offered as he glanced at the monitors of equipment set up around Katie.

Katie shook her head. “No, I don’t want painkillers, I just need to take the pressure off; I’ve been lying in one position too long. Please, you can reapply them, just let me roll over.”

The man shook his head. “No. No, if you’ve been restrained it was for a reason. I won’t tamper; Dr. Patron would be very angry.”

Katie’s heart seized in her chest. “Dr. Patron is here?” she inquired warily.

The tech nodded. “Of course. He’s heading this field mission.” He had moved over to the opposite side of the room and sat down in a chair where Katie could barely see him unless she craned her neck. He pulled out his cellphone and his attention shifted to it.

Katie swallowed the lump clogging her throat and moistened her lips. “I thought Dr. Auldon was in charge of the…of the mermaid attraction,” she stated finally.

The tech shrugged. “I’m not informed of the prolonged chain of command, but Dr. Patron is leading this particular venture.”

Katie felt violently ill at the statement. Dr. Patron was not only here, but there was no one to rein him in if he was in charge. Katie pulled against her restraints again. She needed to know where Luna was, and if she was okay. As she pulled, the pain between her shoulders worsened and she winced openly.

“Are you sure you don’t want any painkillers?” the technician inquired without looking up from his phone.

“How is giving me something for the pain less of a potential offence than allowing me to roll over?”

“Painkillers won’t hurt you, and you’re still under control. They’ve got you tied down for a reason, surely. You seem reasonable, but it’s a higher risk to release you even for a few moments.”

Katie arched her back and a high-pitched whine whistled past her lips. “They strapped me down because I was practically in a coma and tossing around in my sleep. Please, this isn’t like a surgical or injury based pain that I just need to sleep off and heal from. Something is wrong and my weight is making it worse. And she’s not secured, so they’re not worried about escape.”

The man sighed and looked up from his cellphone. “I don’t make the rules,” he argued. “I’m sorry you’re in pain; wasn’t entirely expecting you to speak, to be frank, but I can’t help you. I was just told to bring the other one back here and make sure neither of you stopped breathing or something until they come for you. If you want a shot, I’ll get it for you; I don’t much care for seeing any animal in pain and you’re a bit more than I was anticipating, but otherwise, there’s nothing I can do, alright?”

Katie wanted to argue further, but she knew she wasn’t going to convince him to help her. Already, he seemed more decent than a lot of Lemuria employees and she couldn’t truly fault him for being unwilling to put his neck on the line for her.

She glanced back at Riley on the other gurney. She was still slumped limply, and her hair had shifted, so Katie could no longer tell if her eyes were open or closed.

“Riley?” she called between gritted teeth. She’d come to know the other Mer as hypervigilant and an incredibly light sleeper, but the other girl didn’t even twitch. “What did they do to her?”

“She’s just sedated,” the technician responded. “Very heavily. They don’t want her shifting around too much after her surgery.”

“So, the solution is to just keep her under? That’s not healthy for her,” Katie protested. She groaned and arched her back again. Her fin flared and flopped back down noisily as she moved.

“I don’t think so. I think they just don’t want her moving for the rest of the night. I was there when they injected her. She was only just coming off from the IV anesthetic when they gave her the shot. I don’t think she felt any pain, but I’ve also never seen drugs take effect so fast, so whatever they gave her was potent.”

Katie glanced back at Riley’s prone form and sympathy stabbed her gut. Riley relied heavily on her heightened senses and instincts, and Katie couldn’t imagine a worse situation for the girl than to have all those reflexes forcibly shut down. Her eyes had been open – if only partially – when she was brought in. Katie didn’t think she was fully asleep – though she had no way of knowing what state of awareness Riley was in – it couldn’t feel pleasant to be paralyzed like that.

Another spike of pain flared between Katie’s shoulder blades and she bit her lip and whimpered as she attempted to smother the sound.

The longer she lay there, the worse the burn grew, like an ever-increasing pressure while someone shoved a hot poker against her flesh. It wasn’t long before she was panting, and tears were blurring her eyes. Her head was spinning and her muscles ached from straining against the restraints as she tried to keep her weight off of her back as much as possible.

She wasn’t sure how long she continued to lay there, but the sound of her blood rushing in her ears drowned out the rest of her surroundings. Eventually, that noise was replaced with a high-pitched whistling scream. It took a few seconds to register that the sound was coming from her. Her vision was blurred and doubled, and it was hard to hear, but she did pick up on some shuffling sounds. The movement wasn’t comforting. She hoped maybe the technician would let her up now, and not just pump her full of medication. There was a twisting in her gut telling that would be a very bad thing.

“Katie…” The voice was raspy, but it was unmistakably Riley’s. “Katie, what is wrong?”

“Hurts,” Katie spat. “Have to…sit up. Please.” Her chest heaved and her teeth ground together as her jaw clenched, and another cry echoed behind her teeth.

She heard Riley hiss and then felt her fingers graze over one of Katie’s restrained wrists.

Katie arched her back and wailed again, but her vision began to clear a little, and she finally twisted her head to glance at Riley.

The blonde’s face was scrunched in concentration, but her hands were shaking as she fumbled with the latch on the straps. She was noticeably struggling with the lingering effects of whatever they’d given her because she kept shaking her head and narrowing her gaze, and her shaking didn’t get any better.

Riley hissed in frustration as her fingers slipped and she failed to thread the strap up through the buckle once more. “Okay, hang on,” she growled.

Katie whined again. She wanted to have better control; Riley was trying to help her and it was obvious she was struggling; Katie didn’t need to make that worse by complaining about it, but it was too much pressure and she could hardly stand it.

Riley twisted her arm and slid her spines beneath Katie’s hand. “Stay very still,” she warned in a weary voice before she wrenched her arm up and winced. Katie watched her saw back and forth a few times whilst tugging, and then the belt snapped and fell away from Katie’s arm.

Riley’s face scrunched with pain as she braced her hands on Katie’s cot and pulled herself across the gap. Her hair tickled Katie’s face as she leaned over and ripped up the other restraint.

The moment Riley pulled away, Katie shoved herself up off her back with a gasp. She rolled her shoulders and sighed with relief as the discomfort finally lessened. It still lingered like an irritating bee sting on her back, but it was much more tolerable now.

“Thank you,” she whimpered. She brought a hand up to her face and scrubbed at the tear tracks staining her cheeks.

“What happened?” Riley pressed.

Katie shrugged and cast her gaze down at her scales. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “The longer I laid on my back, the more it hurt. It’s better now.”

Riley nodded, but the worry lines creasing her features indicated that she wasn’t entirely reassured.

“You were supposed to be asleep for several hours still,” the technician muttered. He had risen from his seat, and taken a step towards them.

As he spoke, Riley’s attention snapped to him and her eyes narrowed. “My friend was in trouble. That tends to be a powerful motivator to be up and moving. Keep your distance,” she warned. “I am in no mood to be tolerant.”

Katie believed that statement based on the growl in Riley’s tone. The other girl’s fins twitched on the end of her tail, and her spines flexed a few times. It was a strong indicator of Riley’s increasing irritation.

The man frowned and nodded at the severed restraints. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

Riley snorted. “I hardly had much choice; you did not seem inclined to offer aid. I am not in the habit of abandoning those I care about when they need me most. Whatever consequence seems to be holding you back, I am not afraid of.”

The technician rolled his eyes. “I can see who the more civilized of you two is,” he stated as he returned to his seat.

Riley’s lips pulled back into a furious snarl and she hissed. “Why are you here?” she growled.

The man met her gaze evenly, though Katie thought she saw a flicker of doubt waver in his eyes. She didn’t blame him; Riley was a scary individual to be locked into a staredown with. “I’m meant to be keeping an eye on the two of you; you’re both under watch after your operation and her unstable condition. Dr. Auldon requested I supervise to ensure no complications arose while both of you were incapacitated.”

“Well, neither of us are incapacitated now,” Riley sneered back. “So leave. I have no patience for someone so shallow and subservient to leave another in great pain for no justifiable reason. You and your people have truly begun to irritate me. We will keep an eye on each other, and in case of an emergency, we have excellent lung capacity as well as this,” she paused to hold up the call button that was still hooked up to Katie’s cot. “We will be fine.”

Katie covered her mouth to smother an amused chuckle. Riley was brazen when she was annoyed, and Katie was constantly impressed by her bold bravery. She seemed to have no fear of repercussions.

The man took a step closer and a scowl morphed across his features. “I’m afraid you don’t get to dictate those sorts of decisions. You should lie back down, though. You’re fresh out of surgery, and it would be best if you remained as motionless as possible. I’ll get you another dose of painkillers.”

Riley grimaced. “If you intend to suppress my senses again, then I shall pass,” she muttered with a flick of her fins.

“What, mermaids have a thing against pain relief?”

Riley hissed at him. “We do when it removes our ability to react. And we are not mermaids.”

The tech’s eyebrows raised and he regarded the two of them. “Riiight,” he mocked.

Riley snarled in response, and Katie reached out to touch her shoulder. Talking big was one thing, but Riley had still just come out of surgery and it would only be detrimental for her to get too worked up over a low-level Lemuria worker who wasn’t half as bad as most of them.

“It’s okay,” Katie murmured to her. “The polite term is Mer,” she stated, redirecting her attention to the man.

“What’s the difference?” he inquired.

“The difference is that humans call us mermaids, but we identify as Mer. We do not separate by gender,” Katie replied evenly. She honestly wasn’t entirely certain the real reason Mer were quite so sensitive about the term, but she did respect it as part of their culture.

“Mer then,” he relented. “Regardless, both of you should be lying down.”

Katie shuddered and rolled her shoulders again. Her back still throbbed, but it was much better than before. She wasn’t interested in lying back down even if she was still fatigued. If she fell asleep, it only made her vulnerable again, and a harsh lesson about trust had been crammed down her throat only hours ago. She never wanted to be in a position of helplessness again if she could avoid it.

She glanced at Riley but wasn’t surprised to find the other Mer’s gaze narrowed in on the Lemuria worker. There was no way she was going to relax even slightly while he was still around.

When neither of them budged, the man sighed. “I’m just trying to do my job,” he protested.

Katie shrugged. “Perhaps you can understand why we’re less inclined to cooperate with that?”

The Lemuria worker sighed and walked around the two cots. Riley followed him with her gaze and growled softly when he stepped up to Katie’s side. He eyed her warily before clearing his throat and raising a hand to tap his index finger against the mostly drained IV stand feeding into Katie’s hand. “This should be replaced,” he announced. “I’ll go down the hall to see about getting a new one filled, and I’ll lock the door while I’m gone. If when I get back, you two are both still roughly where you’re supposed to be and not causing any problems or risking aggravating your situations, I’ll sit outside with the door only very slightly ajar. In exchange, I trust when it comes time to move either of you or have anything else done, you’ll be polite to me about fangs and spines and all that.” He gestured bodily at them as he spoke.

Katie could only stare at him with widened eyes for a moment as she processed what he had said. He was going to compromise with them. He was going to consider them sentient and enough like people to strike a bargain. It wasn’t perfectly ideal, but it was probably the best he could offer, frankly. And all he wanted in return was for them not to attack him if he was ordered to do something they wouldn’t like. Katie figured that was inevitable.

“I can agree to that…within reason,” she added. She wasn’t going to sit passively and be abused anymore. That hadn’t worked the first time around and it wasn’t going to work now. And this way, she didn’t have to trust him. He either kept his word or he didn’t, and she was under no obligation to keep hers either. She turned to regard Riley. “You?”

Riley shrugged. “Within reason,” she agreed. Her hand still shook as she reached up to shove her bangs back out of her face, and sympathy surged in Katie. She wasn’t sure how Riley was fighting off the worst of the sedatives in her system, but they were still noticeably affecting her.

The tech nodded his confirmation. “Alright then,” he decided. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked back towards the door. “I’ll be back.”

The door clicked shut behind him and Katie slumped with relief.

“Do not hurry,” Riley muttered. “What happened earlier, Katie?”

Katie shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve been aching since the last time I woke up and being secured on my back made it so much worse. Thank you for what you did, by the way. You were probably better off still under the influence of your painkillers. What did they do to you, anyway?”

Riley waved a hand. “Do not fret about me, I am fine. The intent was to repair lingering damage to my hip. Lewis was there,” she stated.

Katie nodded. “That’s good, at least. Lewis would have made sure it was done properly.”

“I do not think any of them wish for me to be crippled. Whether he was there or not made no difference to that. But it was comforting to have a friendly face around,” she agreed. Her gaze wandered the room and she drummed her fingers against the cot. She was still half sprawled on Katie’s, but the last thing Katie wanted was to lie down, so there was more than enough room for the two of them and no reason to make Riley move about even more after her surgery. “Katie…why is that woman’s scent in here? Her name is Lukshia, yes?”

“Yeah,” Katie confirmed. “She umm…” Katie’s shoulders sagged and she bit her lip. It still hurt to consider. “She betrayed us. She’s probably the reason Lemuria found the rest of your family, and we certainly can’t count on her help out of this.”

Riley snarled and lashed her fins. “I knew there was something off about her. I should never ignore my instincts, but Lewis requested that I make peace.”

“Lewis didn’t know,” Katie argued. “He couldn’t have.”

“I do not think he did. He would not have betrayed our trust; he has a good heart and I trust him. But she had better hope I am never in a position to make good on my warning to rend flesh last I was in her company. I have no tolerance for betrayal.”

Katie nodded, but she didn’t reply. Her throat was closing up and she gulped desperately at the rising lump, but it had no effect. She finally settled for chewing on her lip to help keep the stinging tears brimming in her eyes at bay.

“Are you okay?”

Katie nodded. “It aches, but it’s a lot more bearable than it was before.”

“That is not what I meant,” Riley deadpanned.

Katie forced a small smile and nodded at her. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

Riley snorted and leaned closer with her jaws partially parted. “You are lying to me,” she stated.

Katie blushed. She was going to have to get Riley to teach her that particular trick someday, but for now, it sucked having it used against her. “That’s not fair,” she protested.

Riley grinned and shrugged. “Fair or not, you are still not being honest. What is wrong?”

Katie raised an eyebrow and gestured around them.

Riley shook her head. “I mean; why are you trying to hide your emotions?”

Katie opened her mouth to protest, but her voice gurgled in her throat and the words died away. She looked away and shrugged. “I-I just don’t want everyone else to have to worry about me any more than they already have.”

Riley clucked her tongue. “You are used to only having Luna around,” she said. From the tone in her voice, it wasn’t a question, merely an observation. “You hide your feelings because you are used to having to; because Luna is not strong enough to lean on and needs to be reassured more often than not.”

Katie gritted her teeth and nodded. She had never confided that, but she assumed it was noticeable. Her mom had noticed too, back when she and Luna had first gotten back home. “Yeah,” she admitted finally.

Riley hummed. When Katie looked up at her, her pale blue gaze was glistening with understanding. “I am not Luna,” Riley pointed out. “You do not have to conceal your fears or struggles around me.”

Katie stared at her. Riley’s gaze remained calm and unwavering, and Katie felt her throat close again. Bile rose in Katie’s throat and tears began to swim in her eyes. In the next moment, they were spilling uncontrollably down her cheeks, and a sob scalded her. She bowed her head and the salty droplets began to spatter over her scales.

Her shoulders began to shake and she bit her lip to dampen her cries.

Riley’s hand brushed Katie’s arm. “Tell me what is wrong,” she insisted.

Katie swallowed a whimper and sniffled. She raised a hand to rub her nose. “I’m so tired of being betrayed,” she sobbed. “Of being treated like an animal, like some prized possession to be put on display. They took everything; my humanity, my future, my dreams, my freedom, all of it and no one cared. I’m not sorry I met you or Luna, but that doesn’t make this any easier. I just want to feel secure, I want to go home and never have to worry about Lemuria again. I don’t want to go back, Riley. It was so awful all the time, and I worry about what will happen to Luna and our family. I can’t keep doing this anymore, it’s too much.”

As she cried, Riley leaned closer and wrapped her arms around her. Katie flinched as her hands brushed the sensitive part of her back. Immediately, Riley pulled her hands back, kept them on Katie’s shoulders. Then her gliders shook out from her sides and curled around Katie’s waist. They were soft and warm despite how rigid and powerful they usually appeared. Riley pulled her close into a firm embrace and Katie couldn’t help throwing her arms around Riley’s neck and clinging to her.

Riley’s gliders tightened across the small of Katie’s back, and she began to purr deep in her chest. The sound was soothing, and Katie felt another, weaker hum rise in her own throat in response. Despite it, her shaking and sobs only deepened, and her tears flowed unbidden down her cheeks.

“You have held this in for far too long,” Riley murmured. “You should not do that. You do not have to be strong for everyone else all the time, Katie.”

“I don’t want to have to lean on the others,” Katie gasped.

“Then do not; lean on me. You are not heavy,” Riley replied.

At first, Katie thought Riley had misunderstood and was being literal, but when she pulled away and looked into Riley’s face, she saw a careful smile. Riley opened her arms once more.

“And who will you lean on?” Katie pressed.

Riley shook her head. “I have had to deal with my own emotional turmoil for a very long time. I have been on my own for far too long not to. I do not need to lean on anyone.” Riley pulled Katie close again with her gliders and her purr returned. “I am not very good at admitting it, but this is what I need. Sophie knows, I think. She always seems to know.”

“Physical affection,” Katie realized.

Riley nodded. “I was alone for too long,” she confirmed. “But I am comforted merely by proximity and contact to those I care about and can trust. You need not fear overwhelming me.”

Katie nodded and resumed clinging to her friend. She wasn’t sure if she truly believed Riley or if she just needed it to be true, but at that moment, it was the comfort that she needed from someone she could trust. Riley was warm and solid and real, and they were all connected by the same struggles. That was enough for her for now. “Thank you,” she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	48. The Glass Box

Sophie had been surprised when Luna actually stood up for herself. She was glad – although she was also quite worried for the girl – and it was good for her to find some courage and realize that no one from Lemuria was untouchable. She had not been anticipating Luna to react physically, however. It was rather stunning to watch the young Mer swing her tail, though she suspected Luna didn’t fully understand what she had done. The Mer didn’t have visible genitalia, and Sophie doubted any of them were familiar with the concept of that sort of vulnerability.

Still, Dr. Patron turned a few different shades of gray, white, and green before slipping sideways and collapsing with a gurgling whine. It was a triumphant visual.

“No more!” Luna sobbed, and she sounded so broken that Sophie’s heart fractured. It had likely taken all her courage to stand up to the man who terrified her so much, and Sophie knew she hated physical violence.

Sophie watched Dr. Patron a moment longer, but when he didn’t get back up, she glanced over at Jenny, who was staring with wide eyes. Sophie licked her lips to moisten them before speaking. “You might want to go get some help,” she suggested. “I don’t think he’s getting back up on his own.”

Jenny shook her head and took a step back. “Yeah,” she agreed. All her former bravado seemed to have fled, and she looked almost as pale as Dr. Patron currently did. Sophie had a feeling that she had been reminded of how capable the Mer were, how dangerous they could be. She might think twice the next time she taunted one of them.

The woman hesitated for a moment longer before turning and fleeing the room at a brisk jog. It wouldn’t be long before she returned with help – and there would probably be a reckoning when it happened – but for now, Sophie had other concerns.

“Luna,” she called in a gentle tone. “Come over here.”

Sophie tugged uselessly against the ropes binding her wrists and winced when it jarred her hip. She had landed badly earlier and suspected she had dislocated something. It would have to be tended to, but not right away. There were other priorities. For now, she wanted Luna away from Dr. Patron as much as possible. If he got up again, he’d be out for blood.

“Stay still,” Ixion instructed. Sophie flinched. The Mer had startled her, and she craned her neck to see him. He met her gaze evenly before lowering down to examine the ties keeping her bound to the fence. She twisted back to face forward to give him a better angle but had to suppress a shudder as his fangs grazed her skin. He hooked under the ropes and pulled, and while it wrenched Sophie’s shoulders back a bit, the ropes quickly snapped and freed her.

“Thank you,” she murmured as she drew her hands back around and rubbed at her wrists.

Luna had finally dragged herself over. Her eyes were wide and haunted and her face had paled further than it normally was. She kept glancing back at the scientist. “I did not mean to…” she trailed off in a broken tone.

Sophie reached out and wrapped an arm around Luna’s shoulders to pull her closer. “I know you didn’t,” Sophie agreed. She gently adjusted the wire cap still secured to Luna’s head, and then squeezed her shoulder. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Luna. He was hurting you, you had every right to defend yourself.”

“I just copied you,” Luna whispered.

Sophie couldn’t stop the bark of laughter that ripped from her lips. She shook her head and chortled. “I saw that, hon. It’s okay, you didn’t do anything wrong. But for future reference, humans – particularly human males – are incredibly delicate there, and so you should only make a point to strike if absolutely necessary, alright?”

Luna nodded. “I do not want to hit anyone, ever.”

“That is okay,” Rebecca replied. Sophie turned to find the other woman had pulled herself up out of the water to lean against the rails of the fence. She stretched an arm through and cupped Luna’s cheek. “Are you alright?”

Luna’s eyes watered, but she nodded. “I am alright,” she agreed. “It did not hurt very much. I-I have experienced worse,” she admitted. Sophie watched her swallow heavily, and she frowned. She was already familiar with the highlights of Luna’s past, but what just happened should never have simply been brushed off like that. It was a strong indicator of just how much healing Luna still needed to do.

A quick glance at Rebecca’s expression revealed her mother seemed to agree. Rebecca’s brows were dipped forward and the corners of her lips were pulling into a frown. “Luna, I was not asking for a comparison to the past, I was inquiring as to your current well-being. Are you hurt?”

Luna’s mitten-covered hand moved to her belly, where her skin was beginning to darken. The inky bruise was spreading rapidly across her ribs, down to her scale-line. “Not overly,” Luna mumbled.

Rebecca reached further through the bars to caress the tender looking skin. The Mer clucked her tongue and shook her head, and then her attention shifted to the injured scientist. She shook her head. “He is lucky for this barrier,” she growled.

“It will not separate us forever,” Ixion replied. His eyes were narrowed dangerously and glittering with bloodlust. It sent a shudder down Sophie’s spine, and she actually felt a surge of pity for the scientist. Luna’s parents had waited longer than they knew for retribution for their daughter’s abuse.

“Blasted little witch,” Dr. Patron spat. His voice was cracked and raspy, and he hadn’t managed to sit up, but his narrowed gaze was fixated on Luna with icy hatred. Sophie’s heart seized in her chest at the sight, and she saw Luna shrink down beside her.

Ixion snarled furiously and the sound echoed in the room. “I urge you to caution,” he growled, and his thick, muscular tail thumped the floor tiles once more. “I would take pleasure in worsening your situation if you dare touch her again.”

Dr. Patron glowered back at Ixion for a moment before his head dropped and he rolled onto his back with an agonized groan. Sophie felt it served him right.

The doors swung open before anyone had a chance for further comments. Sophie glanced up and her eyes narrowed as Dr. Auldon walked back in, accompanied by Jenny and three others. Two of them were carrying a stretcher between them, while the third was carrying a portable medical bag.

Dr. Auldon surveyed the room and folded his hands behind his back. He jerked his chin and the three workers hurried to Dr. Patron’s side. Sophie wrapped an arm around Luna and pulled the quivering girl closer.

Dr. Auldon’s footsteps echoed noisily in the otherwise silent room as he approached. He crouched down in front of them and plucked his glasses off his face. He took a moment to wipe at them with his tie before replacing them on his nose. “Would you care to tell me what happened?” he inquired.

Luna whimpered and sunk closer against Sophie’s side, and began to shake.

Sophie patted her on the back and then fixed her attention on Dr. Auldon. “It was his own fault; leave her alone,” she warned.

Dr. Auldon frowned and pursed his lips. “I am not concerned with blame right now, Miss Brooks, simply with the facts. Are you going to be forthcoming, or do I have to make my own assumptions about the situation?”

Sophie sighed. “She was finally falling asleep,” she growled. “She’d finally calmed down enough to relax when he came in. He grabbed her by the hair, was holding her up by it and shaking her around, and kicked her when she protested,” she explained. She gestured to the bruising still darkening against Luna’s pale skin. “She defended herself, nothing more. He took a hit from her tail…right between the legs.”

Dr. Auldon didn’t say anything for a few moments, and then his attention shifted to Luna. “So you finally worked up the courage then? I’m impressed. Look at me,” he instructed.

Luna merely whimpered in response and tucked her face closer against Sophie’s ribs. Sophie winced at the motion but swallowed the discomfort as she continued to rub Luna’s back.

“She’s been through enough,” Sophie protested. “Just leave her alone.”

Instead of responding, Dr. Auldon ignored her altogether and reached out to tap Luna’s scales. The young Mer cringed and shied away. “Look at me,” he repeated. “Right now.”

Behind them, Ixion growled in warning. Luna finally peeled her face away from Sophie’s shirt. Her eyes were wide and brimming with tears.

“I’m not angry with you.” Dr. Auldon’s voice was shockingly calm and even a little bit gentle, and Sophie raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Luna only whined and her fin vibrated side to side with anxiety.

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “I am not angry with you and there will be no consequences for what happened; you can relax.”

“Like hell, there won’t,” Dr. Patron hissed from across the room. He was being shifted onto the stretcher and groaned loudly. “When I get ahold of that little-”

“There will be no consequences, Richard,” Dr. Auldon repeated tersely.

Dr. Patron moaned loudly as the technicians shifted him onto the stretcher. “You don’t get to make that decision,” he growled.

“Dr. Patron, we’re both under review. Any operation or study done with these creatures must be cleared with the board first. You are not exempt from that. Do you want to report to them that you were injured by an animal you were handling improperly and are seeking retaliation, or do you want to pass it off as a freak accident and move on?”

When Dr. Patron didn’t respond, Dr. Auldon nodded at the workers. “Get him to the hospital; there’s one up the road. Tell them it was a thrashing dolphin calf. Miss Barnes, escort them, and then return to overseeing the transfer of the other two.”

Once they were gone, he turned back to Luna. “I am not mad and there will be no consequences,” he reaffirmed. “This time. I appreciate that you’re able to stand up for yourself now, you never would have in the past. However, I will not be able to protect you a second time, so don’t do it again,” he warned.

Luna nodded. “I-I understand,” she whispered. Sophie watched her swallow heavily. “I am sorry…I did not mean…”

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “Don’t be. Under different circumstances, I might congratulate you. He’s needed someone to knock him down a peg or two for years now, and I personally don’t care for him, so you’ve done me a favour.”

Luna shuffled her tail but said nothing.

After a moment, Dr. Auldon’s attention shifted away and Sophie found herself the new focus. “Are you injured? Miss Barnes mentioned you couldn’t stand.”

Sophie shrugged. “I think the fall dislocated my leg; it’s not serious,” she replied. She hoped that was all that was wrong. The pain was prominent, but manageable so long as she didn’t move much.

“I can deal with it,” Rebecca offered. “I do not much care for this confinement. I see reason in a mutually agreed-upon truce – more or less – but I do not care for being physically separated from my daughter. I have waited a long time to see her again, you will not continue to put distance or barriers between us, or I am no longer going to be quite so reasonable.”

“Neither of us are,” Ixion agreed.

Dr. Auldon was silent for a moment and Sophie was expecting him to refuse. It wasn’t exactly a request either Mer had made, but so far any threats hadn’t seemed to phase the scientist much.

After a moment, Dr. Auldon rose and shoved a key into the padlock holding the gate closed, and tugged it open a second later.

Sophie was a little surprised, but she did not comment on it. She’d rather the man continue to consider the Mer’s needs.

He stepped back so that Luna’s parents could leave if they chose and then jabbed a finger at Luna. “She can’t go in the water with that cap on, and I don’t want it off until we get the data I need. I’ll allow the two of you to roam, but only so long as there are no further altercations. You’ll yield to my workers, or I will enforce confinement measures, am I clear?”

“I would not say we can see through you, no,” Rebecca replied. “But I do not see how that is relevant.”

Sophie had to bite her lip to stifle a laugh. “He’s asking if you understand, Rebecca.”

“Oh. Yes,” she agreed.

Sophie nodded up at Dr. Auldon. “They’re very literal.”

He pursed his lips and hummed his understanding, then turned when the double doors swished open once more, just as Ixion dragged himself free of the doorway. He placed a hand on Luna’s shoulder and crooned something at her that Sophie couldn’t understand.

Sophie craned her neck for a look, but it was only the two Lemuria workers who had brought Ixion in. This time, they had Nero strung between them. The younger male sagged low with his dorsal bumping against the floor as they carried him. His head was lolling off to one side and his eyes were rolled in his head.

“Nero!” Ixion called. He bared his fangs at the scientist, who held up a hand in return.

“He’s only sedated,” Dr. Auldon replied. “His behaviour has been far too aggressive for me to risk my employees when handling him.”

“You are holding his pregnant mate captive and separated from him!” Rebecca barked. She slapped her tail against the tiles furiously. “It is in our instincts to protect those closest to us – his actions are not his own so long as she remains at risk – and you cannot simply suppress that with your vile concoctions designed to inhibit the senses.”

“I think you’ll find that I can,” Dr. Auldon countered. “And I suggest that you calm yourself, or I’ll do the same to you and your mate, and I’m sure dear little Suzie would be much more relaxed with both her parents close. I have no intention of harming your son; I am merely looking to prevent further injury to my people.”

Rebecca’s furious hiss was close enough to Sophie’s ear that she flinched, and Ixion twisted his head to growl at the scientist for a moment before he turned to Rebecca and their whistling conversation filled the room.

Rebecca hissed again and then Sophie heard her sigh, and she must have caved because Dr. Auldon nodded his approval and then jerked his head at his employees. They moved further into the room and stepped around Ixion to walk to the far end of the pool.

“You did make one valid point,” Dr. Auldon stated as he watched them dump Nero into the water. One of them held him up by an arm while the other clapped an iron collar over the top of the red leather one they’d already fitted him with. It was secured to a chain feeding into the wall. It certainly wasn’t a feature the room had originally had. Sophie grimaced as she watched the workers release him. He sunk in the water immediately.

“He’s going to remain too protective of the orange one to leave him free to roam,” Dr. Auldon finished. “This will be for the best.”

“That isn’t covering his gills, right?” Sophie inquired. The metal band was thicker and wouldn’t shift as easily. If it pressed Nero’s gills closed while he was unconscious, he would drown.

Before Dr. Auldon or either of the workers could respond, Ixion twisted around and dove into the water after his son and surfaced with his arms wrapped around his chest. He whistled something at Rebecca, who then dragged herself beyond the confines of the fence to hover over Sophie and Luna.

She laid a hand on Luna’s shoulder and gently tugged the girl backwards. She pressed her lips to Luna’s temple – just above her ear – and then nudged the girl with her tail. “Scoot over and let me have a look,” she instructed gently. “Are you hurt?”

Luna wiped a bit of dried blood from her lip and shook her head, though Sophie could see the distinctive blue-black colouring of her abdomen where Dr. Patron had kicked her.

“I am okay,” Luna whispered.

Rebecca nodded, and then her attention fixated on Sophie. “I have never worked with a human before, but I have reset many bones pulled out of place. Will you allow me to look?”

“Have at it,” Sophie agreed with a wince. Now that most of the adrenaline had faded away, her leg was beginning to burn and throb.

Rebecca nodded and hunched over Sophie. She ran her fingers down Sophie’s side and over her good leg, applying a bit of pressure as she did. Then she did the same on the other side and Sophie winced as it aggravated the injury. “I believe you are correct; the bone is no longer in the correct place, but it is not broken. Can you move at all?”

“A bit,” Sophie replied. “I can’t stand, though.” She wished she could, she’d have gone after Dr. Patron had she been able to.

“Roll onto your good side,” Rebecca requested.

The moment Sophie moved to comply, Rebecca grabbed her bad leg and held it rigidly. It made it hurt worse, but Sophie decided to trust the Mer knew what she was doing, and continued shifting onto her side.

“Take a breath and hold it,” Rebecca urged.

Sophie had barely filled her lungs when the Mer wrenched her leg and then shoved. It burned terribly and tears watered in Sophie’s eyes, but then there was a loud popping noise and most of the pain faded away. “Thank you,” she gasped between gritted teeth.

Rebecca hummed in agreement. “Your bones are easier to work with. A tail is much more of a hassle to reset.”

“I can imagine,” Sophie agreed. She pushed herself upright and then gingerly tested her weight on her leg until she was standing again. It was a relief to be back on her feet, even if her exhaustion slammed her again the moment she stood.

Loathe as she was to leave them all, Sophie found herself wobbling over to the gurney in the room and taking a seat so her head would stop spinning. She had not eaten or had enough to drink in the last couple of days to keep her body functioning properly, and it was catching up with her.

She braced her hands on the edge of the cot and observed the situation continuing to unfold. Dr. Auldon had knelt beside Rebecca and Luna, and Luna was shrinking away from him despite being the object of his intentions.

“I am not mad at you,” Dr. Auldon reminded her. “There is no need to be shy. I do want you to go lie back down on the mattress now. Be good about it and I’ll consider removing those mitts.”

Luna’s eyes were wide and she seemed to hesitate.

Rebecca gave her a gentle nudge with her tail once more. “Come on, I will come with you,” she encouraged.

Luna nodded and began dragging herself across the floor. Sophie offered her a smile and beckon. “Come on, kiddo,” she called. Luna smiled hesitantly back, while Rebecca flipped onto her stomach to follow her daughter.

Just as she did, Dr. Auldon cleared his throat. “Actually, you stay here for a minute. You’ve obviously got some medicinal knowledge and I have a couple of questions, especially regarding the pregnant mermaid.”

“What questions?” Rebecca pressed with a wary tone.

“How close is she to going into labour?”

Sophie was curious to know too. Karina’s pregnancy was protecting her from abuse, but Sophie was worried once the child was born, that Lemuria would take it from her. It wrenched at her gut to consider, and she hoped they could find a way to keep mother and infant together. Karina didn’t seem like she could take any more stress, and losing her baby was almost certainly going to send her over the edge.

Rebecca didn’t answer right away. When she finally did, her tone was terse. “Very,” she admitted. “Half a moon at most, but it could just as easily be only a few turns from now.”

“Turns?” Dr. Auldon queried.

“Days,” Sophie clarified with a roll of her eyes. She wasn’t completely fluent in the Mers’ unique lingo, but she was growing annoyed at having to explain these basic terms to the scientist. He had been spying on her for months, he had to have heard her learn them from Riley. The fact that he hadn’t bothered spoke volumes of how much he cared about interacting with them.

“I never understood why humans used that to explain the passage of time,” Rebecca commented. “The length of a day is equal to the length of a night, so when you say two days, it should mean one day and one night to account for the time, not two turns of the sun and moon.”

Sophie smothered a chuckle and shook her head. “I couldn’t tell you,” she replied. When she saw Dr. Auldon frowning, she rolled her eyes again. “I told you; they’re very literal.”

“Clearly,” he replied dryly. “What do we need to help ensure the safety and success of the birth?”

Rebecca sighed. “She will need a natural water temperature. If it is too hot or cold, she will struggle. She needs space to swim and plenty of food and rest for after because her body is going to exhaust itself.”

“We can give her a shot to boost her energy levels,” Dr. Auldon replied.

Rebecca bared her fangs and hissed. “Do not,” she snarled. “She will recover naturally. I will not risk your chemicals affecting her or the infant.”

“It was merely an offer,” Dr. Auldon soothed. “You mentioned a high-calorie intake. Should we be offering her – and the rest of you – anything specific?”

Rebecca’s tail fin began twitching and tapping repeatedly against the floor. “Anything nutrient-rich now, but she will need to build her fat reserves after. The rest of us balance both, but you are forcing us to push the limits of what is healthy for not eating. And fruit, if you have it. It is hard for us to obtain, but exceptionally good for us, especially during pregnancy.”

Dr. Auldon nodded. “I can arrange that,” he agreed. “I know you don’t like me and you’re more comfortable responding with hostility; and for now, that’s fine. I don’t need your loyalty or your respect, but I do need your compliance. I appreciate the information you’ve supplied, and I trust that you at least know that our interests in the health of your kin are – more or less – aligned for the moment. Let me do my job and I won’t bother any of you beyond that, for now.”

Rebecca was once again silent for a while. She picked at her fingers and snorted, and her fin continued to tap the ground over and over.

Sophie didn’t blame her reluctance to answer. They were all captives with uncertain fates at this point. She was spared having to respond when Lewis pushed through the doors. Sophie sighed with relief when he did. She had been worried about where he was. Tucked up in his arms was Karina. The Mer’s maternity fins were folded over her chest, and her one arm was curled around her heavily swollen middle, while the other clung to Lewis’ shoulder. Her eyes were bloodshot and her chest was heaving. By the way Lewis was rubbing her arm and cradling her close, Sophie guessed something had deeply distressed her, and he was trying to offer consolation. It was probably being separated from Nero again after watching him be rendered unconscious. Her stress levels had to be astronomical.

Sophie stood up from the cot with the intent of moving over to them, but Dr. Auldon beat her to it. He rose from beside Rebecca and walked over. As he approached, Karina shrunk closer against Lewis and chittered fearfully.

“You’ve been very helpful this evening, Dr. Patter, but you can take a break now. I know you must want some time with your loved ones as well. Give her to me,” he instructed as he reached towards Karina, who whimpered and shied away from him.

Lewis shook his head and tightened his hold on the pregnant Mer. “She’s not comfortable around people,” he reported. “It’s better if I do it.”

“She’s going to have to learn to adjust,” Dr. Auldon replied. “That wasn’t a request, Dr. Patter.”

Lewis sighed and his gaze redirected to his passenger. “Karina…” he trailed off.

The Mer whined and buried her face in his chest before shaking her head. The spiny fin framing her skull was lowered with distress. It was not dissimilar to a dog or cat flattening their ears, and Sophie’s heart went out to the poor girl.

She tensed when she saw Dr. Auldon reach out and grip the pregnant girl by the chin. When he dragged her gaze away from Lewis’ shirt, her eyes were wide and fat tears were spilling down her cheeks. Sophie took a step forward, but then she saw the man caress the girl’s cheek with his thumb. The action didn’t seem creepy, but genuinely gentle.

“You’ve had a trying few days,” he murmured. “I know it was probably hard to watch that tussle with your mate, but no one is going to handle you like that. And he’s alright; just sleeping, no harm done.” Dr. Auldon twisted to show her were Nero was in the water. Ixion had gently slumped him against the side so that his torso was out of the water, and was hovering close by his son.

Karina chirped something and Ixion whistled back, but it didn’t seem to soothe the pregnant Mer, because her posture remained just as rigid.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Dr. Auldon continued. “I just want to get you settled. Come on now.”

He held his arms out towards her once more, but Karina responded by wrapping her tail around Lewis and frantically shaking her head.

“Yes,” Dr. Auldon instructed. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I am going to insist you behave yourself or I will have to get more forceful.”

The fresh tears that leaked from Karina’s eyes, coupled with the way her hands shook as she released Lewis and reached out towards the scientist broke Sophie’s heart. The moment she was in his arms, she snaked a hand around her belly and remained tense and quivering. Lewis was biting his lip and Sophie suspected he was resisting the urge to reclaim the girl away from the scientist.

Dr. Auldon said nothing as he readjusted her weight and then stepped around Lewis. Instead of bringing her back towards the pool or one of the beds, the scientist climbed the two steps of a sturdy stool to reach the top of the isolated tank near the doors. The moment he threw the lid open, Karina whimpered again and another burst of chitters burst from her lips.

Ixion growled loudly at the scientist as he lowered Karina over the edge into the water.

“What are you doing?” Rebecca demanded. “Do not put her there!”

“She will be safest here. We can regulate the water temperature and keep a better eye on her.”

“She needs to be with her mate! No Mer gives birth alone if they can avoid it. It is incredibly dangerous,” Rebecca snarled. “There is not enough space in there for her.”

Dr. Auldon had two fingers hooked into Karina’s collar, preventing her from diving away from him. He was using the leverage to keep her in place while he carefully pressed various nodes to her neck and arms. He was fussing with the fins folded over her chest trying to stick more nodes under them, and Karina was twisting and whining as she tried to duck away from him.

“Leave her alone,” Sophie protested. “Can’t you see you’re stressing her out?”

Dr. Auldon seemed to ignore them both as he guided Karina’s attention back to him. “You leave those in place. If you pick or pull at them, I’ll take away the use of your hands,” he threatened.

Karina didn’t respond, but when the scientist tried to press more nodes to her belly, she finally seemed to stick up for herself, swatting his hands away and showing her fangs.

The action was super weak, however. It was clear she was only frightened and showing no true aggression. Sophie wondered why the girl seemed so subdued when all of the other Mer were quick to warn away any perceived threats.

Dr. Auldon pressed the patches to her swollen middle regardless and waved a finger in her face sternly. “I mean it; don’t touch,” he warned.

He released her and stepped down from the stool.

“You said you wanted a lack of hostility,” Rebecca reminded. “Earn it. Do not do this. Leave Karina out here with us; you are only putting her and her baby at risk this way.”

Dr. Auldon shook his head as he closed and latched the tank. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You all are far too protective of her, and my main priority right now is ensuring that her baby is born healthy. I don’t need to be attempting to wade through a cluster of hostile mermaids to get to her when the time comes. You haven’t earned that trust either, I’m afraid.”

Dr. Auldon dusted his hands off on his lab coat and then adjusted his glasses on his face. “Miss Brooks, I suggest you plug Suzie’s cap back in as soon as possible. I’ll leave you all be for now and someone will be in with food shortly.” He turned on his heel and headed back towards the door.

“Wait!” Rebecca called after him. Sophie watched the scientist pause and turn back to face the Mer with a raised brow. Rebecca hesitated before meeting his gaze evenly. “When her baby is born, you cannot take it from her,” she warned.

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “I have no desire to separate them – or any of you – and the baby will be returned to her immediately after a cursory examination to ensure its health.”

Rebecca shook her head. “No, you misunderstand. As soon as that infant is born, it cannot leave her side, not even for a heartbeat. Mer children are born with sealed gills. They have no scales and are incredibly vulnerable. We nurse our children at the breast, the same as you, but it is more than that. For the first several turns, that will be how the infant will breathe. Karina’s heartbeat and warmth are what will keep the baby alive. If you take that away, you will kill the child. It will suffocate. If a parent dies during birth, the infant will not survive unless the other parent can get to them quickly enough, and even then it is rare. You will leave the baby alone,” she stated.

Dr. Auldon pursed his lips and was silent for a moment as he seemed to mull over the new information. “Thank you for telling me,” he replied after a moment. “That’s something vital to know. I’ll keep it in mind and ensure the medical team is alerted. She will stay in the tank for the night, and I will consider an alternate arrangement in the morning; provided all of you do as you’re supposed to. I want Suzie sleeping with that cap on and I expect those wires to still be in place when I come back,” Dr. Auldon decided as he turned to face Karina once more. She shrunk away from him as he did.

None of them tried to stop him as he left with his two employees tailing him.

The moment he was gone, Lewis stepped up and gently rapped a single knuckle against the glass of the tank. “It’s okay, Karina,” he murmured. The frightened Mer was hugging her belly with her fingers poised hesitantly over one of the wires secured to the bulging flesh. “It won’t hurt you or the baby. It’s just monitoring your vitals and reading your heartbeat; yours and the baby’s. Just to make sure it all stays healthy. Just leave them alone, they won’t hurt you. I promise.”

Karina chittered again – Sophie could hear her this time – and slumped down to the floor of the tank. She looked miserable, but at least she didn’t seem to be outright panicking anymore.

Lewis sighed and made his way back over. He crouched down beside Luna to hug her and pull the cord to her cap back into place. It had gotten ripped out when Dr. Patron was manhandling her earlier. “You okay, kid?” he inquired.

There were tears in Luna’s gaze too, but she nodded. Rebecca had pulled herself over at that time, and her tail arced around Luna’s as she pressed close. A hum rose in her throat and morphed into the same haunting melody she had been singing earlier. Luna sniffled softly, but she lowered herself down against her mother’s side and closed her eyes. The song continued for several minutes, and everyone sat in silence as she sang.

When it finally died away, Luna was breathing deeply and she didn’t so much as twitch. Glancing over, Sophie saw that the young teen was not the only one affected by the tune. Karina was also limp in her tank and seemed to be breathing deeply.

“Neat trick,” Sophie whispered.

Rebecca sighed. “Perhaps,” she agreed. “But it pains me to use it in these circumstances. It is meant to promise peace and safety, and both are now a lie.”

Sophie’s lips parted to protest as she watched Rebecca slump and hang her head. She wanted to reassure the Mer, but found she had nothing decent to say.

Finally, she settled for offering out a hand. “We’ll figure it out,” she promised.

Rebecca shook her head. “Your certainty is a false hope.”

“I know,” Sophie agreed. “But we’ll still figure it out.”

Rebecca’s dark eyes twinkled and she cracked a small smile. “You are lying to offer a form of comfort,” she acknowledged. “It will not work, but I do appreciate it. I never imagined I would want anything to do with your kind, but the two of you…you are each one of us, with or without a tail.”

Sophie wanted to offer something back, but she found herself too stunned to reply. The one thing she’d learned for certain about the Mer was that they were cautious and slow to trust, and they had every reason to distrust humanity. The statement carried a lot of weight and it felt like an honour. Finally, she settled for nodding. “Thank you,” she whispered.


	49. Restrictions

Katie was still draped against Riley. She sniffled softly and continued to loosely cling to her friend. She had exhausted herself again and mostly cried her heart out by this point, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull away. She felt like a dam had broken within her, and it felt too nice to be comforted without having to hold anything back for once that she was reluctant for that to end.

Riley’s shaking was getting worse though, and Katie was growing concerned about it. “Are you okay?” she whispered.

“Are you?” Riley countered.

Katie shook her head and untangled herself from Riley’s embrace. She poked the other girl on the collar bone and scowled. “Do not evade the question,” she scolded. “You’re shaking like a leaf, are you alright?”

“I am fine,” Riley replied with a roll of her eyes. She grinned, but the smile seemed forced. Katie wasn’t convinced.

“Don’t lie to me,” Katie pressed. “Not after you forced the truth out of me.”

“Katie, I really am alright,” Riley repeated. “I am sore, but not unbearably so. The shaking is just from the sedatives; I am fine.” Riley tilted her head and offered another grin. As she moved, her bangs fell in her face and her smile morphed into a scowl. She huffed and shook her head, but when it didn’t help, she raised a hand to swipe them back.

Her hand was shaking so badly that instead of brushing away her hair, Riley recoiled with a noise of surprise as she wound up poking herself in the eye instead.

Katie bit her lip to smother a chuckle. “Here.” She reached out and tucked the stray locks behind Riley’s ears for her. “Better?”

Riley mumbled a subdued ‘thank you’ and averted her gaze.

“I don’t think it’s good for you to be resisting the medication like this,” Katie admitted. “Why don’t you lie down and try to sleep it off? There’s no sense sitting here in pain when nothing’s going on right now.”

The technician had returned a little while ago while Katie was crying and replaced the IV bag. A fresh, bulging one was currently being gradually fed down the tube into her hand. She wasn’t sure what it was, but since she was awake and breathing easier, she wasn’t keen on ripping it out just yet.

Though she was only partially aware of the situation at the time, the man had seemed quite uncomfortable with her emotional display, because he had backed out of the room very quickly and pulled the door all the way shut behind him despite his previous decision to leave it slightly ajar. She appreciated the bit of extra privacy now.

“But-”

Katie shook her head and cut Riley off. “No one is sneaking up on us, and I am feeling okay; much better now that I’m not secured down. Go to sleep; you are pretty useless in keeping watch anyway when you can barely see straight and have no hand-eye coordination. Go to sleep.”

Riley sighed and winced as she slowly shifted herself into a reclined position on her back. There was a tight brace wrapped around her hips and Katie suspected that was a partial contributor to her difficulty moving. Though she knew the girl was also probably in a fair bit more pain than she was letting on.

“I am taking up your bed,” Riley murmured. Her jaws parted in a wide yawn and she already looked half asleep.

Katie shook her head. “Do not worry about it; I am not keen on lying down anytime soon anyway.”

Riley hummed. “Mmm-kay,” she mumbled. Her words slurred as she spoke. “Do not leth em gimme any more of that ssstuff.” She smacked her lips and fell limp immediately afterwards, and her breathing deepened and evened out.

Katie chuckled and shook her head. “I won’t,” she vowed. Riley didn’t so much as stir in response.

As silence settled over the small room, Katie sighed and flicked her fin. She shifted into a new position and rolled her shoulders again. Her back still hurt, but it was too tender to probe, so she resigned herself to just dealing with the lingering irritation.

She glanced down at her tail and hummed. It was still a mess of exposed, cracked skin and she had some dried blood in places, but quite a few of her scales had begun to grow back. She now had several rows and patches of the glistening amethyst scales lining her tail.

Katie drummed her fingers on the thin mattress of the cot and then reached out to hesitantly brush over her tail. She had the beginnings of several more scales starting to poke out from her skin. She was glad that it would soon be back to a properly armoured limb, but it itched fiercely now, especially after she touched it.

She crossed her arms over her chest and tucked her fingers up into the crooks of her arms to help resist the urge to scratch. It would only make the skin split and bleed if she did.

Katie glanced back over at Riley, who was completely limp and breathing deeply. Her spines were tucked back into her arms, and her gliders were only half folded, drooping over the cot along with the tip of her tail. She was sprawled at an awkward angle because of the brace over her tail and Katie suspected she was going to wake up sore. She considered trying to shift her but didn’t want to risk disturbing the blonde Mer or jarring her injuries any, so she simply winced and shook her head. Leave it to Riley to be gung-ho about protecting someone else, but failing to take the time to ensure her own wellbeing before passing back out.

Reaching out, Katie bundled up the thin sheet that had been draped over her while she was unconscious. She stretched it out over her slumbering friend. There wasn’t any real reason to need a blanket or keep warm, but Riley always seemed fascinated with the sheets of fabric – which Katie found hilarious since she couldn’t stand to wear clothing, but blankets were fine – and it was one small gesture that Katie could offer after earlier.

Riley’s nose scrunched as Katie lowered the sheet over her and her lips moved, but whatever she tried to say was so slurred and whispered that Katie wasn’t sure it was even a cohesive statement, and she couldn’t make it out either way.

She chuckled and shook her head. While Luna tended to be silent unless she was having a nightmare, Riley talked in her sleep a lot, and rarely in a language that Katie could understand. It was always only a couple of words, and Katie had caught one or two of them over time, but it made her wonder just how many languages Riley was fluent in.

Her tail caught on the fitted sheet and produced a rumbling noise as she shifted and stretched out. She flopped onto her belly and propped herself up on her forearms and sighed.

Now that she was awake and feeling a bit better, and no longer in as much pain, the silence was stifling. She drummed her fingers on the mattress and chewed her lip.

When the lock on the door clicked, Katie’s attention darted to it. She tensed as she watched the door swing open, and sinking despair blended with rage as she watched Dr. Auldon shuffle into the room. The man was dusting off his sleeves and not paying much attention.

When he looked up, his eyebrows rose above the rims of his glasses. “You are awake, then,” he commented idly.

Katie shifted her weight nervously and maintained eye contact. While she had already decided that she was no longer willing to play nice, it was hard to forget the obedience and habits ingrained by trauma, and at first, her voice failed her. “You thought the guard was lying?” she managed after a moment.

Dr. Auldon pursed his lips and shook his head. “No, not exactly. You have been awake a few times, but never for longer than a few minutes and you were far from coherent. I’m surprised to find you so alert. How is your breathing?”

Katie shuffled on the cot and ducked her head. Now more than ever, Dr. Auldon made her nervous. She didn’t know who to trust or what to believe anymore – and while in many situations Dr. Audlon tended to be tough but fair so long as they obeyed him – she had no idea what sort of response he was harbouring to their escape from Lemuria the first time.

“It’s been okay,” she answered finally. “I haven’t been coughing as much and it doesn’t hurt to breathe anymore.”

“Good,” Dr. Auldon hummed. “From the state you were in when I got here…I’ll admit that I didn’t expect you to survive.”

Katie shrugged. She didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Your physical state seems to be improving rapidly,” Dr. Auldon continued to fill the silence. “Your colour is better and your scales have been growing back, and of course, you’re lucid so that’s a positive sign. Have you been experiencing any symptoms?”

“No,” Katie lied. She knew if she told him about her back then he would insist on inspecting it, and it was far too tender for her to want him getting near her.

Dr. Auldon was silent for a moment as he made his way over the monitors hooked up near her cot. Katie wasn’t thrilled by the little nodes still stuck to her skin, but she knew better than to tear them off. “I spoke with Mr. Nolland before coming in here,” Dr. Auldon commented as he adjusted his glasses and squinted at the screen. “You know how I feel about dishonesty, any chance you want to correct that response?”

Katie’s shoulders slumped and she gritted her teeth. “I’m just sore,” she admitted finally. “It hurts to lay on my back or have it touched.”

“I appreciate your honesty,” Dr. Auldon replied dryly. “I was lead to believe you were in a fair bit of pain.”

Katie shrugged. “I was left strapped down on my back for too long. It made it worse.”

Dr. Auldon picked up a piece of severed leather that had previously been used to restrain her. He glanced at Riley, who was still sprawled limply on the cot. “The painkillers I gave her should have left her incapacitated for most of the day.”

“Yeah, I don’t have an answer for you on that one. She was still pretty out of it though.”

“I can see she’s going to be a handful,” the scientist sighed. He made a spinning motion with his finger. “Let me look at your spine.”

Katie winced and wanted to refuse, but the stoic expression on Dr. Auldon’s face made her hesitate. She no longer wanted to blindly obey simply out of the fear that the scientists would punish her or her loved ones; they were all already being punished. But it felt like a bad time to pick a fight with everything so precarious and with Riley incapacitated and injured right beside her.

Finally, she sighed and turned her back to the scientist. Her fin quivered with anxiety as she pulled the back of her shirt up and over her head so that the fabric pooled over her arms and against her chest. She shivered when his fingers brushed the short strands of her hair out of the way.

“It does appear to be irritated,” Dr. Auldon agreed. “You have a bit of a lump forming here.”

“Ouch!” Katie yelped involuntarily and jerked away as he poked her back. “Do you know what it is?”

“It could just be some swelling around a rash or bedsore. I’m going to put some cream on it and if there’s no improvement tomorrow, I’ll take a closer look. Now try not to move.”

Katie tensed as a cool goo was smeared over her back. It still stung, but the scientist was being careful and was finished after a few moments.

“So what happens now?” Katie inquired as the scientist stepped away from her and began rummaging around in the cabinets. She carefully lowered her shirt back down and stared at the back of his head.

He pulled a green glass jar out and stood back up. “Now, you’re going to sit up and hang your tail over the edge.”

Katie frowned. That wasn’t what she’d meant, but she swung her tail over the edge of the cot regardless. Right now, she wanted to squeeze a few answers out of him and angering him was a poor way to get what she wanted.

He pulled the wooden chair over from the corner of the room and perched himself on it before uncapping the jar. It was filled with a green salve and Katie’s nose wrinkled almost immediately.

She brought a hand up to cover her nose with the bridge of her hand. “What is that? It stinks,” she complained.

Dr. Auldon snorted and Katie pulled back at the noise. She wasn’t sure she’d ever heard the man laugh before. “It’s hardly that bad.”

“Maybe not to you,” she protested.

Heedless to her disgust, the man swiped two fingers into the gel and smeared it over a barren spot on her tail. Her face scrunched with distaste as he continued rubbing it into her skin.

“It’s just a moisturizer,” he stated. “It’ll keep your skin from cracking any further, but it’s medicated to prevent any infection from setting in until your scales grow back; that’s probably why you’re sensitive to it.”

Katie coughed and her grimace deepened as he applied more of the cream. She only hoped that the smell would subside over time or that she’d adjust to it because it was overwhelmingly powerful and her eyes were beginning to water.

The silence stretched over the room after he’d finished, but Katie was hesitant to break it. After a minute, he prodded some of the goop. It had solidified and he nodded with satisfaction. “Now the back,” he instructed.

Katie groaned, and then reluctantly turned over onto her belly. She was loathed to admit that the cream had soothed some of the irritation in the thin, flaky skin exposed by her scale loss.

She sat still while more was applied, but couldn’t help drumming her fingers on the mattress.

“You’re quiet,” Dr. Auldon commented after a moment.

“That’s usually what you want,” Katie growled back. She didn’t even try to mask the venom in her tone.

“Careful now,” Dr. Auldon warned. “There’s no reason to get aggressive, we’re having a civil conversation.”

“There’s nothing civil about this situation,” Katie bit back. “You’re threatening my family.”

“It’s not all bad,” Dr. Auldon replied as he dabbed more of the foul cream over her tail. “You’ll all be together this way.”

“Yeah,” Katie replied dryly. She flicked her fin and heard the scientist grunt with surprise. She made no move to apologize, but she did force her tail to fall still again. “One big happy family stripped of their freedom and used as science experiments and display pieces for Lemuria to toy with and abuse. You’re right, forgive me, let me just jump for joy.”

Dr. Auldon began to chuckle and Katie tensed as he patted her tail. “I can see your time away has given you a bit of spunk. You can sit up now.”

Katie braced her hands on the mattress and hauled her tail back up. She coiled it around herself and twisted to face him.

“I’m glad that this little escapade has been good for your psyche. Seems like it was good for both of you. You both were quite drained of life just before.”

Katie felt a fresh wave of rage swell within her gut. Of course, she and Luna had been low on will, and she hated that it could be a casually mentioned thing now in the eyes of the scientist. It was incredibly cruel. “That tends to happen when you lock us up like performing animals,” Katie hissed back. “We are actually people, remember. You put us in a cage and run us like circus performers for an oblivious audience with no reprieve and the threat of severe punishment if we fail to comply. What did you expect was going to happen over time?”

“Be careful, Katherine,” Dr. Auldon warned. “I’m glad you have some personality back, but you still have a fine line to tread.”

“Maybe I’m just not afraid of you anymore,” Katie growled back. Her lips pulled into a snarl and she bared her fangs at him.

“Only a fool acts without fear,” the scientist responded.

“Are you saying you’re afraid of me?” Katie countered with an irritated flick of her fin.

Dr. Auldon pursed his lips and shrugged. “Not entirely. I would be intimidated by your potential if I didn’t already know you’ll never utilize it.”

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?” Katie hissed.

Dr. Auldon adjusted his glasses. “You’re not a wild beast. I think the rest of the mermaids I’ve met so far exist in an in-between of feral and sophisticated, but you…you’re too afraid that giving in to your primal instincts will make you a monster. You can’t justify taking action for yourself, only if someone you care about is in immediate danger. I only have to fear you if I go after your loved ones.”

“Which you’ve already done,” Katie reminded through slitted eyes and gritted teeth. She didn’t like the implications of what he was saying, but she also hated that he was right. She didn’t see the Mer as animals or lesser as a people, but she did get hung up on some of the base instincts and behaviours her mind and body urged her towards at times. It did make her feel less human and more bestial.

Katie spooked from her thoughts and jerked her head back when the scientist reached out towards her. Her motion didn’t deter him, however, and she braced. It was unnecessary as he merely swiped away some of her hair off of her face. “I understand your anger, Katherine, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to remember how to behave. I cannot protect you this time.”

“Protect me?” Katie scoffed. She dug her fingers into the mattress and hissed. “You let him fillet me. I still have burn marks on my neck. I endured the agonizing restructuring of my body without the courtesy of painkillers or sedatives. I’ve starved and ached and cried myself to sleep with a terrified young girl clung to me like a lifeline. What did your _protection_ ever offer us?”

She expected him to get angry – she hoped that he would so that she could justify defending herself and maybe release some of her pent up aggression – but he didn’t. Instead, he nodded in agreement. “There are reasons for everything you were put through, Katherine. You won’t accept any of them and I won’t feed them to you. I never truly wanted to hurt you,” he admitted. Then he shrugged and sighed. “Or maybe I did. I meant to – to an extent – at least. But there were some very hasty decisions made on how to handle you, and they weren’t always justifiable, but you should know that your experience on the operating table was selected because it was a temporary pain. I don’t make the decisions, Katherine, I merely influence them. Our board wanted to sever your vocal cords and cap your fangs – both of you – after your stunt during that first showing. It was realized that you needed to be brought under control and quickly,” he stated with a shake of his head. “I always hated having to mediate; it should have been my call. You were my project and you remain the most successful achievement I ever anticipate to accomplish, and things would have been very different if I’d had the control I wanted. But I have less now than I did before. Lemuria will not risk losing you again.”

“This is a lame attempt at an apology,” Katie grumbled.

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “That’s because it isn’t an apology. I’m not sorry and I would put you through all of it again if given the opportunity. I wouldn’t hesitate. This is who I am and what I’ve worked for, and you’ve nearly cost me all of it. This is not an apology, simply an explanation. You’re going to need to be far more conscientious of your decisions now.”

Katie drummed her fingers against the mattress and her fin began to twitch involuntarily as she stared him down. “Are you asking me not to fight? You have everyone I love at your mercy – which I don’t even think you have – and you expect my response to be to obey you blindly once more?”

Again, Dr. Auldon shook his head. He rose from the chair and set the jar of cream down in front of her, followed by a folded white and blue striped tee. “I’m saying that if you plan to fight, make sure it’s a viable assault because there will be no cushion this time to lessen the effects of the backlash, so don’t mess it up. I need to go down the hall; I’ll be back in a few minutes. Apply that to your torso and change your shirt – I thought you might appreciate a fresh one – and wait for me.”

He was up and out the door before she could say anything in response. Katie stared at the clean shirt folded in her lap. The one she was wearing was rumpled and felt a little gross – she assumed she’d been wearing it for a while now – and a fresh change of clothing did sound nice. It just surprised her that Dr. Auldon had bothered with such a simple courtesy.

She sighed heavily and grabbed the jar of medical cream and twisted the top off. The pungent odour was sharp and bitter, and she winced as she dipped her fingers in to dig up a glob of the slime. While she hated the smell, it was soothing on her skin, so she smeared it over her chest where scales were only just starting to grow back. Katie’s jaw was clenched as she worked, and she was relieved when she could finally set the jar aside once more. She wiped her fingers off on the old shirt and yanked it up over her head.

She was just smoothing down the fresh one when Dr. Auldon walked back in. He was carrying a small bag that Katie eyed curiously. It wasn’t likely to be anything good, but part of her hoped that maybe he had food on him. She hadn’t eaten anything in so long that she was desperate to fill her belly again.

He rummaged around in it for a moment, and then pulled out a collar. A violet leather collar with a circular tag hanging from it. She couldn’t make out the engraving, but she already knew what it would say. Her heart sunk.

“Are you going to put it on or does there need to be a struggle?”

Katie growled her displeasure at him and he merely quirked a brow. “Give it,” she finally caved. She didn’t feel like being held down and having the collar cinched too tight against her neck like the last time. It seemed like a simple dog collar, so it likely wouldn’t be hard to get off. She wondered why they’d changed it to something far less threatening.

He handed it to her and she pulled it around her neck. She fumbled with the clasp a little bit but finally got it situated properly. It felt foreign and she hissed her displeasure.

Dr. Auldon nodded his approval and then stepped up to Riley while pulling out another leather circlet. This one was a tanned colour that was close enough to Riley’s scales. “She’s not going to like that,” Katie warned.

The scientist shrugged as he carefully fed the leather around Riley’s neck without jostling her, and buckled it down into place. “What any of you like or not is irrelevant right now. You have to wear them and there will be consequences if you don’t that none of you will like, so I suggest you keep them on rather than find out what those will be,” he advised. Then he pulled out a long leather cuff. It looked almost like a bulky bracelet as long as her hand.

Katie frowned when she watched him begin to guide it over Riley’s wrist and up her forearm. “What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Taking care of the fins on her arms,” Dr. Auldon replied as he buckled the leather in place. Then he pulled out another bracelet of equal length, but this one was made of shiny gold metal and clamped around Riley’s arm with a sharp click.

“You can’t do that!” Katie snarled. “Leave her alone!”

Dr. Auldon shook his head as he began feeding a second leather band up Riley’s other arm. Katie growled a warning and bunched her tail. That was going to distress her friend and she hated that Riley wasn’t even conscious to defend herself. Katie would do it for her.

“Before you make any hasty decisions, Katherine, you should know that this was the compromise. Either she wears these, or they’re going to have Dr. Patron declaw her essentially. These fins are fused to her bone. If they’re ripped out, she’ll be in pain for life and could very well lose the use of her hands. Which do you think she’d prefer because there’s no alternative.”

Katie growled again and her tail lashed with helpless frustration. She wanted Riley to wake up, but the other Mer remained completely limp as Dr. Auldon finished locking her spines away in the pouches on her arms that she’d tucked them into. She was going to be furious when she woke up, and tears burned in Katie’s eyes. It was all moving far too fast, just like last time, and she didn’t know what to do.


	50. Reunited

Katie was not sure how long she had been sitting on the cot and staring at the wall, but she did know that she was beginning to feel drowsy. She had woken up in the evening and now it was pushing three in the morning, and she was still not feeling back up to one hundred percent.

Riley was still asleep beside her and she was glad for that. She had no idea how Riley was going to react to the collar or bracelets, but she suspected she wasn’t going to like them. As soon as Dr. Auldon had left them earlier, she’d fussed with them to see if she could even get them off, but the bracelets required a key, and Riley’s collar had some sort of magnetic clasp that Katie couldn’t pry open. She’d removed and replaced her own to test, and it seemed to be just Riley they’d taken extra measures with.

“They probably think you’d give them the hardest time about putting it back on,” Katie said with a sigh. Riley didn’t respond; she hadn’t expected her to, but it felt better to say it out loud.

Food had been brought for them, and Katie had nibbled at a little bit of fruit before leaving the plate relatively untouched. The food tasted wonderful after so long, but her stomach was shrivelled and the more she tried to eat, the sicker she felt. She’d have to take it slow, even if the food was tempting.

Katie sighed again and shifted her weight. Her back ached, but it was a manageable pain – just irritating – and her fatigue was growing with every minute she watched tick by on the clock.

She yawned and stretched her arms above her head. Though she was tired and her tail was still rather a mess, she wanted to move. She wanted to swim or haul herself up some furniture or stairs, anything that wasn’t just sitting or lying still anymore.

But there was nowhere to go and nothing to do except count the scales that had regrown on her tail. Two hundred and four, but she was still missing so many.

She yawned again and finally decided to settle in for what remained of the night. Everything was quiet, she was tired, and she didn’t anticipate anyone was going to bother them until morning. She would rather get the rest now.

There wasn’t much room on the cot with Riley still sprawled at an odd angle, and Katie didn’t want to try moving her or climbing over her onto the other cot for fear of injuring her. Riley’s sides looked tightly wrapped by the brace – the straps of which just barely skirted around her gliders and had to be pinching a little – but she had still just had surgery earlier that day and Katie knew she had to be in pain from it.

It took some shuffling, but Katie finally got herself situated with her fin dipping over the edge. She reclined and found she hadn’t quite left herself enough room as her cheek pressed to the tightly-packed scales low on Riley’s tail. The girl’s limp fins were twenty centimetres from Katie’s face. She flicked her fin and sighed. She hoped Riley wouldn’t mind too much being used as a pillow. Katie was too tired to try to finagle differently, and if she shifted any other way, she risked hitting Riley in the face if she moved in her sleep.

As she relaxed, she suddenly realized why Luna loved sleeping sprawled like this. When they were back in the aquarium, more than half the time they slept, Luna would pass out with her head on Katie’s tail. The girl slept so fitfully that Katie never felt the need to disturb her when she really didn’t mind, but she had never understood until now _why_ Luna wanted to sleep that way. It had never seemed very comfortable. But Riley’s scales were warm and almost silky they were so smooth. They were still firm, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Or maybe she was just too exhausted to care. She yawned again and her eyes began to droop. It didn’t feel like long before she drifted into unconsciousness.

***

“Katie.”

Katie’s nose scrunched and she moaned and snuggled down, pulling her tail up close to her side.

“Katie.” The voice was louder this time and Katie finally opened her eyes. She blinked blearily for a moment while trying to register what was going on. She rolled over to find Riley staring at her with mild amusement tinting her features. “You are drooling on my scales,” Riley stated pointedly.

Katie’s eyes widened and she shoved herself upright before swiping her arm across her lips to smear away some of the saliva. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized. Her cheeks flushed.

Riley laughed and shook her head. “It is alright,” she replied. “Did they put you under?”

Katie shook her head. “No, I just fell asleep,” she answered as her lips parted in a massive yawn.

Riley hummed. “You can go back to sleep if you desire; I did not mind. I just wished to learn if you knew anything about these before I began to rip them off.” Riley held up an arm and hooked her finger through the ring of her new collar, pointedly showing off the bracelet as well.

Katie’s gaze cast down and she nodded. “Yeah. Dr. Auldon put them on when he came back. You were still asleep. I should have stopped him, but I…”

“Do not blame yourself,” Riley scolded. “I am not hurt and I will remove them myself.”

Katie shook her head. “I already tried. They’re locked shut and unless you can chew through metal, there’s no way to get those cuffs off. But he said you had to wear them.”

“I have hardly ever done anything simply because someone said I must,” Riley argued. She tapped a finger against the surface of the bracelet as if testing it. “Given some time, I probably could get through this substance.”

Katie nodded slowly, but her gut clenched into a knot. “Before you do that, you should know that Dr. Auldon said you have to wear them because Lemuria is concerned about the higher risk you pose. They want better control over you and were just as content to pull your spines from your arm altogether. Those were the compromise. I don’t know what will happen if you take them off.”

Riley’s features warped as Katie spoke and she bared her fangs. “They would regret the attempt,” she snarled. Her frustration seemed to die as quickly as it surged and she shrugged. “I will tolerate these…decorations for now,” she relented. “You have one as well.” She pointed at Katie’s collar.

Katie nodded and winced, and her hand came up to brush over it. “I had hoped I would never have to wear one again,” she admitted.

Riley hummed in agreement. “You should not have to, and we will not for long. Let me get a better look, please.”

Katie leaned forward and tilted her chin up. “What did you mean ‘we won’t wear them for long’?” Katie inquired. There was a slight waver to her voice as she spoke. She trusted Riley, but feeling the girl’s fingers near her throat made her shudder. She had been pressing a few of them back, but more of those instincts she had been wrestling with before falling ill were beginning to surge again.

“This is not your name,” Riley commented absently as she toyed with the tag on Katie’s collar.

“I know,” Katie agreed. “They wouldn’t have used my real name when everything happened. This is what they called me.”

Riley hissed loudly and Katie started. With all her lingering discomfort at having her neck exposed, she couldn’t stop the warning growl that rumbled up in her throat.

Horror swept through her at her actions and she clapped a hand over her mouth. She had just snarled at her friend. “I’m so sorry.”

Riley only grinned and her pale blue eyes almost seemed to twinkle. “It is alright,” she replied. “I am the one who should apologize; I should not have spooked you. I forgot that you are struggling with instinct and behaviour. I will be more cautious of it in the future.”

Katie flushed and focused intently on her tail. Her hand came up to rub her throat. “I didn’t mean to…It was just…”

Riley reached over and folded her fingers over Katie’s hand. “Katie, I know. I am a Mer too, remember? I have the same instincts, and I am glad that yours are working well. It is natural for us to want to protect our throats and other vulnerable parts of the body. You do not need to feel ashamed that you do not yet know how to control them; that is what time and education are for. We will help you.”

Katie nodded. “Thank you…for understanding.”

Riley grinned widely and tilted her head back a little. “I cannot see the one on mine,” she stated. “Did they keep mine or have they concocted some silly false identity for me as well?”

Katie chuckled and leaned forward to look. “Carmen,” she reported as she read the name on the tag.

The silence stretched for a moment before Riley snorted and shook her head. “Well, I suppose I have myself to blame for that one.”

“How do you mean?” Katie inquired.

Riley grinned and shrugged. “When I first got here – while you were still unconscious – I figured it was best he not know who I was right away. I did not know you would need me for survival, I just knew you were sick and that you and Sophie were in danger. I pretended to be one of Lewis’ interns and I introduced myself as Carmen.” She shrugged and shook her head. “I guess it was taken literally.”

Katie quirked a brow. “You pretended to be an intern?” she inquired. That was a bit of a surprise.

Riley’s grin widened. “I adore Lewis, but the man babbles _a lot_. When you are trapped motionless for a moon, you learn a few things, whether you intended to or not.”

Despite everything else going on, as Riley made the statement, she crossed her eyes and poked her tongue out, and Katie burst into sputtered laughing. It was true; Lewis could get very passionate and fixated on conversations and often lost his audience halfway through. “You have my sympathies,” Katie giggled.

Riley’s smile was bright as she hummed in agreement.

“I have to admit, you’re taking all of this a lot calmer than I was expecting,” Katie sobered.

Riley nodded. “I am trying to be in better control of my hostility,” she replied solemnly. “Too many people commenting on my rash tendencies.”

“Oh, I see,” Katie replied. “And how’s that working out?”

Riley drummed her fingers on the cot and bared her fangs in a menacing grin. “I am going to tear out the throat of the next scientist to walk through that door.”

Katie snorted and covered her mouth again to smother more laughter. “Good job on the calm and rational thing,” she teased. Then she sighed. “But that might not go well.”

“Probably not,” Riley conceded.

“If you’re going to go the bloody route, try to make it Dr. Patron, okay?”

“Dr. Patron?” Riley echoed.

“Yeah,” Katie sighed. She gritted her teeth and flicked her fin, and her chest tightened at the thought. All traces of lingering humour vanished. “He’s…the one who hurt Luna for all those years. The one who enjoys our pain.”

A growl rumbled low in Riley’s throat and her pale eyes darkened like an icy storm as she showed her fangs to no one in particular. “Yes,” she agreed. “Perhaps I will reserve my aggression for that one in particular.”

“I’ll be sure to point him out,” Katie stated dryly. “Are you hungry, by the way? I haven’t had much appetite back, but they left us some fruit and fish last night.” She pointed to the small stand with the platter of fruit pieces and the bowl of ice and fish strips. It looked like it was starting to melt now, and Riley probably already knew it was there, but Katie didn’t think the injured Mer could get over to it by herself.

“I would not refuse,” Riley agreed.

Katie grinned and twisted to reach over and grab the plate of fruit, which she passed over to Riley, who’s eyes lit up. She licked her lips and hummed in appreciation before popping a plump orange slice into her mouth. “I had forgotten how much I missed fruit,” Riley admitted.

Katie nodded. She understood Riley’s craving. After months of being kept primarily on raw fish, she had been determined to get her hands on as many different flavours as she could, but her body seemed to naturally crave fruit the most. Luna had been equally delighted with the opportunities. She practically worshipped mangos and was quite pleased with many other pieces of fruit as well.

A wide yawn split Katie’s maw as she continued nodding. “Fruit is good,” she agreed.

There was a knowing twinkle in Riley’s eyes. “You do not have to remain awake for me, Katie. I woke you earlier; you should get a little more rest while you can.”

Katie shrugged and shook her head. “I’m fine,” she refused, even as she raised a hand to cover her mouth as she yawned once more. When she noticed Riley’s pointed look and quirked brow, Katie flushed. “I’m fine,” she insisted. “Besides, there’s not a lot of room and you shouldn’t be moving. I’ll be alright; I’ve done enough sleeping lately, don’t you think?”

Riley shook her head. “I do not think that counts as rest and you are tired. Just lie down, what is the problem?”

Katie shrugged. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or kick you in your sleep.”

“How would you make me uncomfortable?”

Katie shrugged again. “I don’t know,” she mumbled.

Riley clucked her tongue and grinned. “You were already sleeping on me,” she teased.

“That was an accident!” Katie protested. Her cheeks tingled as she blushed and looked away.

“You do not have to defend yourself, Katie. I am not upset by it. You fell asleep, there is no harm in that. You are tired and for now, things are silent. Rest and I will keep watch while you do.”

Katie wanted to protest, but that had not worked out well for her the last few times she’d tried. Riley was annoyingly relentless. With an exasperated sigh, she caved and lowered herself down into a prone position. She rolled onto her side facing away from Riley and tried to gingerly adjust her tail so that she wouldn’t unintentionally nudge the other Mer. Riley’s breath was hot on her shoulders, and Katie shivered.

“Are you cold?” Riley inquired.

Katie swallowed the lump in her throat. She wasn’t cold, but she felt awkward. Luna was always quick to cuddle up when they were back at Lemuria, and even a few times since, if her dreams were sour, but Riley had always seemed more solitary, and Katie felt like she was invading her privacy. But she was ashamed to admit it, so she just shrugged. “A little,” she lied.

She heard Riley shift, but she jumped a little when she felt one of the girl’s large gliders slide up over her shoulder and side. Riley had only draped it loosely, but it radiated warmth and Katie shuffled beneath it. “Umm…thanks,” Katie whispered. She heard Riley hum in response.

It was a sweet gesture and Katie had to admit it was comfortable. She yawned again and felt her muscles fall slack. She was still exhausted and it wasn’t long before she began to drift off once more.

Just as she was starting to cave to slumber, the door swung open and startled her awake once more. She jerked upright in time to see Dr. Auldon walk back in. He stared at them over the rims of his glasses and pursed his lips for a moment. “How cute,” he mocked. “This is a much better attitude on you, Carmen. Crowds much prefer happy, playful little mermaids all cuddled up like puppies, rather than snarling beasts.”

Riley hummed, but it was a more sinister-sounding rumble that sent shivers down Katie’s spine. “It is a pity I am not very concerned with what will appease your park guests.”

“You will,” Dr. Auldon assured. He strode forward and tapped Katie’s half-empty IV bag. “We can train a sense of pride in your existence into you. It is about to become your main sense of purpose in life.”

Riley snorted. “I doubt that. I believe my primary sense of purpose will be to escape with my family. Failing that, it will be to claim a flesh trophy from each of you,” she growled.

Dr. Auldon tutted his tongue and made his way around the cot to regard Riley with a disapproving frown pursed on her lips. “Things will be much easier if you choose to cooperate. Surely we can reach a compromise?”

“Release my family,” Riley stated flatly.

Katie kept silent during their verbal sparring, but she flinched when Dr. Auldon’s hands plopped down on Riley’s shoulders and squeezed. There didn’t seem to be any malice, but it was condescending enough that Riley growled in warning. “I think you know that wouldn’t be possible even if I wanted to.”

“Take your hands off of me,” Riley warned. “And while you are doing that, take these off as well,” she demanded as she thrust an arm out towards him with the limb angled so that the flat surface of one of the long mental bracelets was in his face.

Dr. Auldon took her hand and patted the bridge of it. “You don’t want me to do that,” he advised. “Those are the compromise with those above me who make the decisions. Without them, they’re going to rip those fins from your arms altogether. Would you prefer that?”

Riley muttered something under her breath and hissed as she tugged her arm away. Katie’s gut seized at the sight of her distressed friend. Riley had come here to help her – and while there was a chance she would have wound up here regardless – it made Katie feel incredibly guilty. Riley was not cut out for captivity. None of them were, but it felt especially bad for Riley.

The blonde took a breath and then leaned forward to glower at the scientist. “Let us imagine that it is impossible to escape your aquarium; I refuse to wear these the rest of my life.”

Dr. Auldon nodded. “Of course not,” he agreed. He patted her on the head and Riley ducked away with a growl. “Just until I can trust you without them.”

Riley scoffed and splayed a hand over her chest. “You do not trust me? Well, that wounds my feelings. Here I was believing we were friends.”

Katie snorted and covered her mouth to smother a chortle. Dr. Auldon remained impassive and Riley’s grin only widened and she tilted her head towards Katie. “At least she thinks I am funny.”

“Very humorous,” Dr. Auldon agreed in a flat tone. “A regular clown. Perhaps it can be your gimmick. Now, if you would both like the opportunity to rejoin the others of your group, I am prepared to take you both down the hall. But you’ll need to be on an IV for painkillers first,” he stated, directing his attention to Riley.

Katie felt hope flutter in her chest. She had been frantic about Luna and her mother and Lewis, and everyone’s well-being. She wanted to see them again. She met Riley’s gaze and could see similar longing shimmering there.

“Just the IV?” Riley inquired when she pulled her gaze away to focus on Dr. Auldon. “There is no other condition or trick?”

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “At the moment, Carmen, we are at a standstill. We cannot transport you all back to America until you’ve healed and the aquarium has had time to prepare for your arrival. My primary concern is keeping you all healthy and contained in the meantime. Behave, and there’s no need for us to interact further than that.”

Riley flicked her fins and drummed her fingers on the bed. “They will not force me to sleep?”

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “They’re just to numb any pain after the surgery.”

“Alright,” Riley yielded. She held out one arm for him. “Take us to our family.”

Katie sat up and perched on the edge of the cot while she waited as Dr. Auldon inserted an IV tube into Riley’s hand and hooked up to a bag of painkillers. He then handed Riley a connected injection button. “You’ll have control over it,” he told her. “Press the button if you feel any pain, but don’t take more than what makes the area feel a little numb. If you get tingly, you’ve taken too much.”

Riley nodded her understanding but merely set the injector aside instead of utilizing it. Dr. Auldon hooked her bag up to the rails of the cot and then moved Katie’s beside it. Katie sighed and rubbed absently at her own IV insert. She was more than ready to be off it now, but the people she loved had gone through an awful lot to get her better and she wasn’t willing to toss that sacrifice away by insisting on release from medical constraints early.

When Dr. Auldon was finally ready, he began pushing the single cot towards the swinging doors. Katie twisted her tail so it would not get bumped as the end of the bed pushed the doors open. It felt strange to be guided down the very halls she grew up in, by one of the last people she’d ever wanted to see again. She remained silent during the trip, however, and within a few minutes, they were being pushed into another room. The setup of the quarantine room felt a little sloppy, with a temporary fence and open gate wrapped around a pool of water, a large temporary tank set up by the doorway, and a cot with a mattress on the floor beside it. There were more Mer in the room than Katie had been anticipating, but her attention zeroed in on her mother.

Sophie was perched on the cot and her head had snapped up as soon as the door opened. She shot to her feet and surged forward. “Katie!” she exclaimed.

Katie felt a lump rising in her throat and tears well in her eyes as she lurched forward, nearly toppling off the cot into her mother’s arms. “Mom!”

Sophie’s arms squeezed her tighter. “You’re awake. You’re awake and breathing on your own, and coherent…I thought you were going to die,” Sophie whimpered.

“I did too,” Katie admitted. She squeezed her mother tighter. “You weren’t supposed to do this,” she whispered. “But thank you for not giving up on me.”

Sophie shook her head. “Never, Katie. _Never._ You’ll understand that one day.”

“I understand already,” Katie replied.

Sophie gently guided her back upright onto the cot and cupped her face in both her hands. It squished Katie’s cheeks up, but she chose not to protest. Her mother looked exhausted, but the joy sparkling in her eyes was all that mattered right now.

After a moment, Sophie finally pulled away and turned to face Riley. “Are you okay?” she inquired as she reached out to cup Riley’s left cheek.

The other Mer nodded and nuzzled into the touch. “I am glad that you are,” she replied. She reached out towards Sophie’s throat and a frown creased her features. “Why?”

Katie frowned too when she noticed the orange-red leather that was wrapped around her mother’s neck. Riley may have needed to ask, but Katie didn’t. She twisted to glower at the scientist. “You are not serious,” she snarled.

Dr. Auldon lifted her chin. “We spoke already about compromises, Katherine. The board wants her dead; this is the compromise.”

“But-”

“Katie, it’s okay,” her mom interrupted. “I’ve already agreed to it. So long as Rebecca consents as well.”

There was a green-scaled Mer lying on the ground next to Luna – who was limp and fast asleep – and she looked up when her name was said. “What does it have to do with me?” she asked.

“They’ll need your spinal fluid,” Lewis stated. He was standing by the fence barrier and straightened up as he spoke. There was a bitter tone to his voice that didn’t surprise Katie at all. “Like they extracted Luna’s for Katie.”

Rebecca pursed her lips and drummed her nails on the floor. “Yes,” she agreed. “I would not say I am overly pleased with the notion of using us to force humans into a form not their own, but I would rather it than the loss of your life.”

Dr. Auldon cleared his throat. “You will all have plenty of time to catch up, but for now, I want to get things settled. This one here is not to move, under any circumstances,” he ordered as he gestured to Riley, who immediately made a sour face, crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. Katie laughed.

Sophie shook her head and rolled her eyes, but a grin was tugging on her features too. “We’ll make sure of it,” she agreed as she focused her attention on the scientist. “Anything else?”

She fumbled as Dr. Auldon tossed something at her, but managed to catch it. Katie blanched when she saw it was the same foul-smelling jar of medical cream from last night. “Katherine is going to need another application of that anywhere she is missing scales, and every eight hours from then on. She can go in the water, but not for half an hour after the coating is applied.”

Sophie nodded. “I’ll handle it.”

“Good,” Dr. Auldon replied. “You can take those mitts off Suzie and I’ll even sign off on unchaining the younger male. However, he will remain in the pool area at all times or I will have him secured again.”

Katie wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but Lewis, Rebecca, and her mother all seemed to wince. The silence stretched for a moment, before Sophie’s chin dipped. “I think we can accept that…for now,” she stated carefully.

Dr. Auldon grunted his agreement and Katie saw him set a key down on the edge of the bed.

“What about Karina?” Rebecca called as the scientist turned to leave. “She cannot stay in there, there is not enough room. Space is crucial and she does not have much longer.”

Her statement prompted Katie to inspect the holding tank by the door. There was a young woman curled up in it. She had soft blonde hair and wide brown eyes, and her tail was lined with rich sunset orange scales. She was shrunken in on herself and her fear-filled gaze was fixated on the scientist. She had one hand curled around her heavily swollen belly. Lemuria had access to a pregnant Mer and – by extension – her baby. It filled Katie with a rancid sense of dread.

“I’m petitioning about that, but I don’t make that call. My superiors want her separated from the rest of you and they make the final call. There is only so much I can do,” Dr. Auldon stated plainly.

Rebecca’s gaze darkened dangerously and Katie felt the desire to curl into a defensive ball despite knowing full well that the rage was not directed at her. “And what would your _superiors_ have to say if the baby died? Because if she goes into labour trapped in that tiny tank, we will lose them both.”

Dr. Auldon didn’t immediately reply and the silence that followed Rebecca’s dire statement made what few scales Katie had regained begin to crawl.

Finally, he grunted and stuffed his hands in his coat. “Then I’ll convey the urgency of the situation, but ultimately there’s nothing more I can do at this time. I’ll be back this evening to check-in.” He turned to meet Katie’s gaze. “I’ll want another look at your back then; if the swelling hasn’t gone down, I’ll take you for an x-ray.”

Katie chewed the inside of her cheek and nodded. Her back still ached – even more than it had last night after she was able to sit up – and the pain was beginning to radiate down her spine rather than remaining concentrated between her shoulders, but she wasn’t keen on being back on an examination table. “I understand,” she consented after a moment.

“Dr. Patter, you can cap her IV when that bag is empty, but don’t remove it just yet. I want to see how Katherine does off of it for a few hours before making any final decisions about her recovery.”

He didn’t wait for Lewis to confirm before he left, but Katie was glad to see him go. As soon as he was gone, she found herself wrapped back in her mother’s embrace. “What’s wrong with your back?” she asked in a hushed tone.

Katie appreciated that her mother’s arms were encircling her waist loosely to avoid hurting her. She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve just been sore since I woke up,” she admitted.

“That is an understatement,” Riley stated dryly. “Her reaction was quite extreme. The scientist still had her secured down and she was almost in a frenzy. I had to cut her loose.”

“I still appreciate that,” Katie replied. “Dr. Auldon thinks it could just be a rash or bedsore. He put cream on it last night and it felt a little better for a few hours, but it’s stronger now.”

Her mother broke the hug to stare at her with that worried, inspective look she always got before she became overprotective. “Well, we have to get some of this applied anyway, so I’ll take a second look,” Sophie insisted as she held up the bottle of cream.

Katie winced and scrunched up her nose. “Do I have to?”

Sophie frowned and nodded. “Yes, and you know better than to argue. Now turn around, I’ll do the back first.”

Katie sighed and twisted on the cot so that her tail flopped over the edge and she was staring at Riley, whose lips had pulled into a sly grin. “What?”

Riley shrugged. “Just amusing to see someone else getting fussed over and scolded for once. And you were the one who told me not to resist and just let her fuss.”

“I am standing _right here,_ you know,” Sophie retorted dryly.

Katie ignored her and scowled at Riley. “Just wait until you learn why,” she hissed back. She imagined Riley wouldn’t like the smell any better than Katie did. It was incredibly satisfying to see Riley’s nose wrinkle up and her lips part with disgust as Sophie uncapped the jar, but then the odour hit Katie too and she blanched. “I hate that stuff,” she complained.

Riley coughed and shook her head. “What is that?” she demanded.

“It is rather pungent,” Rebecca added.

Katie said nothing, merely pinching her nose and pressing her lips together as her mother began to smear the cool gel over her tail. It made it harder to breathe, but at least it was minimizing her exposure to the foul scent. “It’s not as strong once it dries,” she whispered to Riley, who nodded and then stuck her tongue out at Katie.

She seemed to regret the action because she then sucked it back in while gagging. “By all means,” she wheezed. “Protest all you like, I do not blame you.”

“It’s not honestly that bad, is it?” Sophie asked. Katie could not see her mother’s face, but she could imagine the woman rolling her eyes.

“Yes, it is,” she replied. She dug her fingers into the cot as she wrestled with the urge to shift and pull her tail away.

“Well, just sit still for a minute,” her mother instructed.

Despite her urge to wiggle, Katie remained still while her mother coated the front and back of her tail in the goop. She winced and bit back a whimper when she rubbed more over her back.

“It’s really irritated,” Sophie commented with a cluck of her tongue. “Maybe those x-rays might be a good idea.”

“It already feels a little better,” Katie replied. The cool cream did make it sting less, but the pain ran deeper than just the superficial itch and still radiated strongly down her spine.

“We’ll keep an eye on it,” Sophie decided finally. She set the jar aside and then picked up the key that was still sitting beside Katie. “I’ll be right back.” Her mother’s voice was strained as she looked between Katie and Riley as though she was reluctant to leave them again. Part of Katie didn’t want her mother to ever step out of arm’s reach again after everything that had happened, but she swallowed her sorrow and offered a small smile instead.

Sophie squeezed her shoulder before taking the key and heading over to the pool where two male Mer were floating. Katie didn’t get a chance to focus on them before Lewis stepped into her vision and stole her attention away.

He scruffed Riley’s hair and bent to wrap his arms around the girl. Riley hummed as she returned the hug. “How’s the hip doing, kiddo?” he inquired. “Are you in much pain? They set you up with painkillers by the looks of it; do you know how to use it?”

“Yes,” Riley replied with a grin. “Be at peace, Lewis; I am fine. The pain is far more manageable than the last few times. Despite the surface discomfort, I feel better. I suspect movement is going to be far easier from now on. I do not feel the need for the medication.”

“Just don’t overwork yourself,” Lewis warned. He ruffled her hair once more before turning to look at Katie.

She offered him a beaming smile and leaned forward for a hug. There was no hesitation from him as he squeezed her close. “You gave us quite the scare, Katie.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m just glad you’re up and doing okay,” he murmured as he kissed the crown of her head. She hummed in response.

When he pulled away, he took a seat on the edge of the cot and sighed. “Well, I guess some introductions are in order. Katie, this is Rebecca – Luna’s mother – and her father is Ixion over there,” Lewis began.

Rebecca smiled and dipped her head in Katie’s direction. “I have heard much of you the last few turns. It is pleasant to finally put a face to the name. At a more opportune time, I would talk with you further; you have done much for my daughter.”

“I’d like that,” Katie agreed. Then she turned to examine Luna’s father. He was pulling himself out of the water. His skin was a dark, duller shade of grayish brown, and brown hair clung to his neck almost down to his shoulders. Slate scales coated a tail that was framed by trailing green-gray fins. He was rather burly and Katie was almost surprised Lemuria had been willing to mess with him; his weight looked like it could be a deadly asset in a fight. But she supposed she should not be too shocked that the scientists hadn’t considered that when forcing these Mer into captivity. They hardly seemed to consider any of them much of a threat and just ignorantly expected obedience. It was incredibly frustrating. He met her gaze and dipped his head. She smiled and returned the gesture.

“Beside him is Nero,” Lewis continued. “Luna’s brother.”

“Her brother?” Katie echoed. “Wasn’t he supposed to be-”

“I did not know,” Riley interrupted. “I ran into him first upon returning to my pod.”

Katie nodded. Nero actually looked quite similar to Ixion, with a powerful gray tail and dark skin, but he also had a protruding dorsal and darker hair. Katie couldn’t get the best look as Sophie had him tilting his head down so she could fuss with the metal collar clasped to his neck. He didn’t seem to have heard their conversation – or just couldn’t look – so Katie supposed she’d meet him properly later.

“And this is Karina,” Lewis finished with a nod towards the bright Mer in the tank. “She is Nero’s mate, but she doesn’t speak much English,” he advised.

Katie nodded her understanding and offered a smile to Karina. The young woman still looked quite petrified and Katie didn’t blame her. She was going to have a baby, and the infant was going to be far from safe in Lemuria’s care. “Hello,” she chirped. She surprised herself at how fluidly the dolphin clicks came to her this time. “It is nice to meet you.”

Karina held her gaze for a moment before her features softened and she returned the smile and nodded back. The fin framing her head flicked in the water and her tailfins tapped the floor of the tank. “Your family has worried greatly for you. I am glad you are well now,” she replied. “I merely wish it were under better circumstances that we meet.”

Katie sighed and nodded in agreement. The pregnant Mer seemed friendly and welcoming despite her fear, and Katie had a million questions dancing on her tongue about the woman’s pregnancy, but she bit them back. She didn’t want to pester Karina. Instead, she found her gaze drifting over to where Luna was still lying prone on the mattress on the floor. She had a strange tangle of wires capping her head and hadn’t moved the entire time they’d been speaking, which was incredibly unusual.

“Is she okay?”

Lewis reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “Luna’s exhausted. She’s scared and stressed. There was an incident earlier, but she’s alright. Do you want down?”

“Please,” Katie pleaded. She appreciated the offer, it would save her figuring out how to dive off the cot herself. She wanted to get over to her little sister. She’d worried Luna so much the past few weeks and she needed to make sure the younger girl was okay.

Lewis stood up and fiddled with the IV bags before unhooking Katie’s. He handed it to her and then scooped her up off the bed and silently carried her across the room. He stepped around Rebecca and crouched to set Katie down on the edge of the mattress before clipping the IV bag up to the rail of the cot.

Katie pulled herself forward to Luna’s side. Her sister was rolled on her side facing her mother, and her hair was strewn about her face. Katie carefully reached out and pulled some back. Luna’s nose scrunched up and she stirred for a moment before falling still once more.

Rebecca sighed and her shoulders slumped, but she offered Katie a wry smile anyway. “It pains me not to know my daughter better, but I am glad that she had you.”

Katie glanced back down at Luna and hummed. “I’m lucky to have had her. Did she tell you that she saved my life? They threw me in a tank with no idea how to swim or use my gills. I would have drowned if she hadn’t found the courage to jump the barrier between our tanks and help me. She got in trouble for it and she shouldn’t have.”

“It sounds like you needed each other,” Rebecca forced through a pained smile.

Katie nodded. “We did. But she needs you too, a lot.”

“I barely know her now,” Rebecca admitted.

Katie shrugged. “You’re her mother. She needs you. We talked about you a lot when it was just the two of us in the aquarium.”

Rebecca’s eyebrows dipped forward into a puzzled crease. “I thought she did not remember me.”

Katie nodded. “She didn’t really, but she wanted to. She talked about your scales though, she never forgot those. We’d play a game to see how many different things she could compare them to. And she used to make me tell her all about living with Sophie and then imagine out loud about what you must be like,” Katie explained. She sighed softly and looked down at Luna. “It was her biggest dream, to get to see you again.”

Finally, a genuine smile pulled onto Rebecca’s face, though tears sparkled in her eyes. “I never imagined I would get to see her again, but I will treasure every heartbeat I can get with her now. Perhaps I will live up to her imagined version.”

“You already have,” Katie assured her. All Luna had ever wanted was to be accepted by her family. Katie didn’t need to know her parents long to know they were exactly what she needed.

The tender moment was broken seconds later as Luna began to scream.


	51. Together Again

_Pain pulsed behind her eyes and her heart throbbed in her chest like an open wound. Her gills flared and her chest heaved, and she could feel the currents from her gills bouncing back at her. The box was too small. She was never given much space, but this was the worst. Her tail was wedged up under her, with her fin bent in three different directions, and her head was craned down against her chest with her shoulders flat against the tank wall above her. There was no room to move or shift except to wiggle, which only sent jolts of cramping pain through her body and threatened to rip the row of stitches up her side._

_Her lips parted and she sucked in another desperate breath, but the water felt stale, used up, and her head spun as she struggled for oxygen. Eyes open or closed did not matter, her world was consumed by darkness. She made a fist and beat against one wall. It was a useless motion, she could not muster the strength to break glass when she had room to move and gain momentum. She was certainly not going to manage it now._

_Her chest squeezed again and she sucked in, but there was no more oxygen in the water and she only wound up choking. Her tail spasmed beneath her and more pain lanced up her abdomen as she jerked about and wheezed, and panic began to settle in her throat as her head spun. Yet no matter how much the burning in her lungs increased – how her body begged for oxygen – she lay suspended in a state of need, wishing she could give in and pass out._

Luna’s eyes snapped open and her chest heaved as she gasped for breath. Her cheeks were already stained with tears and her body was shaking. She bit her lip and felt more tears water in her gaze. Her mother’s soft brown gaze was leaned in and staring at her. She reached out and took Luna by the hand and began to stroke it with her thumb.

“Take deep breaths,” her mother instructed in a gentle tone. “Just breathe, Luna. It is okay.”

Luna squeezed her eyes shut and shuddered. Two in what felt like one night was too much and she bit her lip to stifle a whimper.

“It is okay, Luna,” Rebecca continued. “You are alright. Just breathe deep and slow, and calm down.”

Luna swallowed the lump rising in her throat and nodded. She sipped air and felt her heart rate begin to slow. Her mother’s grip was soothing, and she found herself beginning to calm down.

Her mother’s smile broadened and her eyes sparkled with pride. “Good. Just breathe, Luna. I am very proud of you.”

The words sparked a rush of warmth in Luna’s chest and she forced a weak purr. Already her shaking was beginning to abate and she felt a bit better.

Her mother reached out and began to pull the sticky squares ringing her temple away from her skin so that she could pull the cap off Luna’s head. “No more,” she stated. “You have given that man what he said he needed, I will not allow him to put you through anything more.”

Luna pursed her lips but did not object. She wanted to believe that, but she doubted it was true and she did not want her mother to put herself at risk either.

Luna bowed her head and took another breath and tried to relax her heartbeat back to normal. She was still a little tired, but she felt better now; a bit more rested, and she was becoming more aware of her surroundings. Including the warm body pressed against her back and tail. She had not been anticipating someone else there; not with her mother lying in front of her, so Luna rolled over to see who it was.

Her heart skipped a beat and for a moment she thought she was still asleep as she stared up into Katie’s warm gaze and soft smile. “Katie?” she whispered. She worried if she spoke too loudly, she might shatter the dream, and this was one that she desperately wanted to linger in. “Am I still asleep?”

Katie’s lips pulled up into a wide, toothy grin and she shook her head.

“You promise?” Luna pressed.

Katie’s eyes twinkled as she nodded. “I promise,” she agreed.

Luna’s heart soared at the sound of her sister’s voice and she matched Katie’s wide smile. “Katie!” she exclaimed as she launched herself at the older girl. “You are alright. I was so worried…I thought…”

“I know,” Katie agreed through a laugh as she wrapped Luna in a warm embrace. “But I’m fine now, I promise. I’m sorry I scared you.”

Luna nuzzled her cheek against Katie’s and wiggled closer until she wound up knocking her over. “Do not do that again,” she scolded. Hot tears began to leak from her eyes, but her smile was wide as Katie stared up at her.

Katie reached up and wiped a tear away. “I won’t,” she agreed. “I missed you all too much.”

Katie shifted beneath her and then winced. Her smile fell in place of a mask of scrunched pain. Immediately, Luna reared back off her friend. “Katie, are you okay?” she inquired.

Katie’s grimace lingered for a moment as she propped herself up and rolled onto her front. “It’s okay, Luna; I’m fine,” she replied. “My back is just really sore is all.”

“You should allow me to take a look.” Luna turned as her mother made the offer. Her expression had morphed from comforting to a more clinical concern.

Luna glanced back at Katie, who was worrying at her lip. “Alright,” she agreed finally. “Thank you.” She pulled herself forward and then twisted to face away, and pulled the back of her shirt up over her head so that it was pressed to her chest. Luna scooted backwards to allow her mother room to look. She looked up when Sophie and Lewis walked closer. Her father had been staying with Nero, but it seemed that Katie’s wellbeing had stolen the attention of everyone else.

“Tell me the nature of her recovery, again?” Rebecca requested as she looked up Lewis. “There was deemed a reason for the illness, correct?”

Lewis nodded his confirmation. “Yeah. Katie’s body essentially started eating itself from the inside out because her nutrition levels plummeted. You all seem to have a very special hormone that your body utilizes for pretty much everything. Katie’s body hasn’t been producing it well – it’s a flaw in her transformation – so they gave her extra supplements from Luna. They don’t know what caused the crash, but when those reserves ran low, her body ripped itself apart trying to find more.”

Luna still did not completely understand what all of that meant, but her mother hummed in understanding. “I believe I know the cause,” she announced.

“What?” Sophie pressed.

Luna’s mother shook her head. “Let us see if my theory is correct, first. Katie, bow your head please.”

Luna watched her sister fidget before angling her gaze down to her lap. Rebecca raised one hand and pressed her fingers to Katie’s back. A whine slipped past Katie’s lips and she shifted.

“Stay still,” Luna’s mother scolded. “You are not a fussy youngling.”

“Sorry,” Katie muttered through gritted teeth. Her cheeks coloured when Riley’s boisterous laughter rose from the far side of the room.

Her mother ignored the distractions and pressed her other hand to the back of Katie’s skull. “Bend further,” she instructed as she pressed Katie’s head forward.

Luna winced. Though Katie said nothing, the position did not look comfortable as she was forced to hunch over and a ridge formed down the center of her back as the skin pulled taut. Her mother ran her fingers down the ridge and nodded. “Roll your shoulders,” she requested.

Katie squirmed and complied, and the ridge grew more prominent as she did. It did not look like her spine.

“What is that?” Sophie asked, voicing Luna’s shared concerns.

“What I suspected was the culprit,” Rebecca replied. “Katie, this is going to sting. Bend a little further and do that again, but slowly, while you bend as much as you can.”

Katie seemed hesitant, but she did not argue. As she moved, Luna’s mother dug two fingernails into her skin, eliciting another whimper from Katie as the woman clawed down her back. “Roll your shoulders,” her mother reminded.

At the prompt, Katie did so, and there was a wet tearing sound that accompanied a louder cry from Katie as her back split and began to bleed. Before Luna could protest the treatment of her sister, Katie shook herself and something raised from her back where the wound had opened. It looked like a long, curved arm. A slender, scaled arm coated in blood. It arced high above Katie’s shoulders and pulled a membrane free of her spine as well. It was a soft purple, delicate and ruffled down the length of her back.

Katie shook herself and Luna had to duck away from drops of blood and bits of flesh the flew from the new sail. “Sorry,” Katie mumbled. “Wow, that hurt…but the pressure is gone now. I can handle open wound pain much better than that. Thank you.”

“Katie…” Sophie breathed. She reached out and brushed her fingers over the sail and Katie yelped. The sail flared and flapped wildly as the girl lurched away.

“What did you do?” Katie exclaimed.

Luna’s mother burst out laughing and reached out to grab Katie’s sail by the arm. “Did you not realize?” she inquired as she held on.

Katie contorted herself to get a better look and her eyes grew wide. “I-I don’t understand…What is it? What is it for?”

Luna’s mother hummed a soothing tone and clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Do not panic,” she said. “There is no need. You will adjust to the sensation soon enough and instinct will guide you to its purpose. You have developed a sail. Mer use them for any number of things depending on the type. You will learn. Can you fold it down?”

Katie took a breath and closed her eyes. For a few heartbeats, nothing happened, and then the sail quivered and flared up higher. It made Luna pull back in alarm, but Katie only blushed and then slowly flattened the sail to her back. The fin folded up perfectly beneath the long arm so that when it was flat to her flesh, it looked more like she had an armoured ridge down her back rather than a sail.

“It’s really pretty,” Sophie commented. “But I don’t understand. That was what was making her so sick?”

Her mother nodded. “Yes,” Rebecca confirmed. “This is the reason Katie depleted her ‘reserves’ as you put it. You are a little old to be just developing now, but I suppose Luna’s youth may have affected that. As Mer grow from youth to adult, they experience changes in appetite, energy, speed and strength, and will often develop more extreme physical changes, such as the emergence of new fins or spines to aid their survival. Each Mer is as they need to be and that is not always immediately clear, but it is true. We do not all have such drastic changes, but it is not uncommon. Some Mer are born with additional features, some grow them later, and some experience both.”

“I was born with my gliders,” Riley added. “But they were very small and did not begin to grow properly until I was in my thirteenth cycle when my spines grew in as well.”

Katie shook her head. Her brows were drawn together and a frown was creasing her lips. She held up a hand and shook her head again. “So what you mean to tell me,” she began in a flat, annoyed tone. “Is that I got so sick because my body wanted to go through a _second_ puberty and didn’t have the means of doing so?”

“Sounds like it,” Sophie agreed.

Luna frowned. She was not familiar with the word they were using, but when she glanced at her mother she saw mirrored confusion and assumed it must be a human thing. Now did not seem like the best time to inquire.

Katie groaned and slumped. “Lovely. As if the first time wasn’t bad enough. Why now?”

Lewis stepped over and crouched down. “You should put your shirt back on,” he advised. “Probably best not to show that sail off to any…unwelcome onlookers that might come by.”

Katie nodded and sat up so she could squirm back into the fabric and smooth it down over her torso once more.

“It does make sense though,” Lewis continued. “Luna is younger and was probably prepubescent when they extracted her cells. We’ve already witnessed your body’s struggles to figure out its age range. There was too much of an age difference between you two; I’m surprised you survived. It might be a good thing that you’ve got some cells from Riley now; it might balance you out a bit better. But if you had been a similar age from the beginning, this probably would have just grown in when your tail did, right?”

Lewis looked to Luna’s mother, who dipped her head. “Most probably,” she agreed.

“Luna’s cells took over your body and they hadn’t gone through those changes yet; they just caught up to you is all.”

“It still sucks,” Katie muttered. The back of her shirt pulled taut as the new limb fluttered beneath and Katie growled in annoyance before the fabric lay smooth again. “This is so weird. Like having a random third arm on my back.”

Sophie reached out and placed a hand on Katie’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll get used to the sensation quickly,” she assured her. “You just need a little time. The tail was different too at first, wasn’t it?”

“It’s not the same,” Katie sighed.

Luna frowned as she was slammed with a wave of sorrow from her sister. On instinct, she pulled herself closer and leaned against Katie.

Katie hummed in response and twisted until her chin was resting on Luna’s head. “I am okay,” she murmured. “Just confused. The tail was one thing, simple to understand. I still felt like me, sort of…I just, would have been happy to stay the way I was. Every new thing makes me feel less and less human and I’m not so sure I’m okay with that.”

Luna hummed in understanding. It was hard for her sister to lose more pieces of her former self. It was difficult to fully understand since she remembered so little of her own former self, but she did understand the feeling of loss and emptiness in her heart, and if this new sail made Katie’s hole bigger, then Luna understood and ached for her.

“You are not human,” Luna’s mother stated flatly. Beside Luna, Katie jerked at the sharp tone. Luna frowned and stared at her mother in dismay. She loved her and she had come to see how gentle and caring and warm Rebecca could be, and also how protective. It felt wrong that she was being mean now. “You are a Mer.”

“I-I know,” Katie fumbled.

Rebecca shook her head. “Do you?” she demanded. “Because it seems like you still think of yourself as human. You are not. Perhaps once, but no longer and you need to accept that. There is no place for you in this half-life you are trying to live.”

“I did not ask for any of this,” Katie protested. “None of this is my choice. I’m glad I met your daughter and Riley, and I would not change it even if I could, but that doesn’t make this part any easier.”

“It is not meant to be easy,” Luna’s mother growled. “But you must conquer it regardless. We cannot fix your problems for you and we are here because of you-”

“It is not Katie’s fault,” Luna protested as she felt Katie flinch beside her. “Please, stop.”

Instead of heeding the plea, Luna’s mother continued to stare sternly at Katie. She pulled herself up and over closer to Katie, who leaned back in surprise and wound up flopping over onto the butt of her tail with Rebecca leaning over her.

“Aunt Becca!” Riley’s voice was sharp and dropped off into a low growl. “That is enough. Do not harass her for something beyond her control.”

“This is not your concern, Riley,” her mother rumbled back before fixating on Katie once more. “You are not a child, you should not need coddling like one. You have been through something harsh, that much I understand, but it is time to decide what it is that you desire. You cannot have it both ways.”

“She doesn’t have to decide anything right now,” Sophie argued. “This is cruel.”

Luna’s mother shook her head and bared her fangs. “She must choose now, there may not be time later!” she snarled. “If the opportunity arises to abandon this place, we fully intend to take it. Nero and Karina must be far from the surface and find the nearest safe place for her to have her baby, and Ixion and I will be taking Luna into deeper waters, back to our family where we can protect her and better avoid boats and nets. I will not risk my family a second time. You and Lewis will have to hide on land; there is no way for you to come with us, and Riley will do as she pleases, but hardly needs someone to defend her any longer.”

Her gaze lurched back to Katie and she flicked her fin. “But you are the concern. You cannot navigate or hunt or defend yourself in the water. If you mean to come with us, you must decide that now, because we will not linger for you to make your choice, it is too dangerous. Will you attempt a half-life on land or do you mean to embrace what you are now and find a purpose in the water?”

Katie’s eyes were swimming with tears and she chewed on her lip and looked away instead of answering.

Sophie stepped up as her daughter hesitated and crouched down to squeeze her shoulder. “It’s okay to go, Katie. You know that, right?”

Tears were streaking down Katie’s cheeks and she shrugged Sophie’s touch away. Her hands curled into fists and Luna watched her jaw clench. “I know I can,” Katie whispered tersely. “I know you support me and everyone needs me to make a choice, but I don’t _want_ to go. I want to go home. I just want for us to be back like we were, back at the house. I want the promise of my family together.”

“That is no longer possible,” Rebecca’s tone was softer as she began to speak, but as soon as she spoke, Katie’s gaze snapped up and her green-brown eyes blazed through fresh tears.

Her lips pulled into a snarl and her hands flung out and connected with Rebecca’s shoulders. Katie hissed furiously as she shoved Luna’s mother backwards. “Don’t you think I know that?” she snapped. “I know it’s not an option. I know I have to go with you, that I cannot stay on land like this and that I would only be a dangerous liability to mom and Lewis if I tried. I know that. But stop asking me to embrace something I didn’t choose. I can’t be happy about abandoning my family, the people I love and the life I know.”

“Katie,” Luna murmured.

Katie shook her head. “I’m sorry, Luna. You know I don’t regret meeting you, but that doesn’t make anything else any easier.” Her attention shifted back to Rebecca and she slumped. “You know the pain of losing someone you care about; can you just try to imagine my situation? How would you feel if someone split your tail and sealed your gills and told you that you needed to make a life away from the ocean work? That you had to leave your family behind because you’re a danger to them, forcing them to stay at the surface to be with you? Knowing that everything you care about is forever beyond your grasp. That you have to leave and might never see your loved ones again, that anything could happen to them and you might never know!” Katie sobbed. She curled in on herself. “I don’t have the luxury of a choice here. I have to abandon my loved ones, just like she did. But I take no pleasure in it; it’s not my choice.”

Luna pressed her palms flat to the ground. She wanted to get to her sister, but before she could, Sophie hit her knees and dragged Katie into her lap and squeezed her into an embrace. “You are not Roxanne, Katie!” she declared firmly. “This isn’t the same.”

“It feels the same,” Katie muttered. She brought a hand up to scrub at the tears in her eyes and sniffled.

“It’s not,” Sophie refused. “You wouldn’t be abandoning us, Katie; you were always meant to leave at some point, to pursue your dreams; to travel the world mapping the oceans and trekking to obscure canyons and waterfalls all over the world, remember? It’s just a little different now and a little sooner than anticipated, that’s all. But if you want to stay, Katie, we’ll figure that out, we’ll make it work.”

Katie shook her head. “You’ve risked enough for me. You and Lewis need to protect yourselves now too. Please promise me this time, okay? I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Sophie pulled her closer and her embrace tightened.

Luna chewed her lip and hesitated. She did not wish to interrupt their moment, but she also hated seeing Katie so sad. She had missed her so much and just wanted her back. She dragged herself closer and leaned against Katie’s side and hummed, and then returned the soft smile that Sophie gave her.

“Thanks, Luna,” Katie murmured. “I will be okay; it’s just hard,” she admitted. She rubbed at her tear-stained cheeks and squirmed in Sophie’s grasp until the woman’s hold loosened enough that she could sit up and make direct eye contact. “You and Lewis have to do for yourselves now. Get out of here and go into hiding at the first chance you get. Maybe you can help us, maybe you can’t, but staying here is going to get you hurt or killed and I can’t bear that.”

Sophie sighed and shook her head, and Luna felt her heart sink at the grim determination that was spilling from the woman. “No,” she refused. “I won’t leave all of you to face this alone.”

“We are not alone,” Riley called from over on the medical cot. Luna glanced in her cousin’s direction and found Riley’s eyes narrowed with displeasure, though she seemed more sad than angry. “I agree with Katie; you already know how I feel. The two of you should get away from here. You are human, you can walk away. They will not anticipate you leaving us and that is exactly what you must do.”

“No,” Sophie rebuffed again.

Luna chewed her lip and reached out to grab Sophie’s hand. When Sophie’s attention immediately settled on her and she squeezed Luna’s hand, Luna felt tears pool in her eyes. “Sophie, I need you,” she whimpered.

A moment later, Luna found herself being dragged into Sophie’s embrace and squished against Katie and the woman. “I’m not going anywhere, Luna; I promise.”

Luna shook her head and bit her lip. “No,” she whispered. “I need you to go.”

“What?” There was genuine hurt and confusion in Sophie’s tone and Luna swallowed back a surge of guilt. The woman seemed genuinely stunned. She did not want Sophie and Lewis to go; she loved them and wanted to know they were alright, but she knew they needed to go. No one should have to endure Lemuria and they were two that could possibly get away.

Luna took a deep breath, though she felt her tears slip free to roll down her cheeks. “You need to leave,” she repeated. “Please. You need to go and be safe. They want to hurt you both, and that hurts too much. You told me that they could not take my identity from me again, that I am not alone this time and I carry the love for and from my family in my heart. And that is true. It is true, and it gives me a little courage because it is the truth. There are people who know who I am and whom I can cherish and maintain the will to live for…” Luna sniffled and swiped a hand under her nose. “I am not alone this time. But you need to leave us and get away. Someone has to go, has to protect the truth. If you are brought back with us and made a Mer too and they trap Lewis…then there is no one left who knows the truth about us. About who Mer really are, who we are, who Katie used to be. Your safety has to come first, but that is a truth that should be spread. We are not animals or toys or pets, we are people,” Luna insisted.

“I know that,” Sophie assured her.

Luna nodded and hummed weakly. “That is why it is important. Knowing that someone knows…that gives me more hope than having you by our sides with promises to try to protect us. Do not protect us, protect the truth.”

Silence stretched after she finished speaking and Luna hesitated. Had she said something bad?

“She’s right,” Katie finally stated. “There’s no one else on the outside if you come with us.”

“Our existence is no longer a secret,” Riley added. “And there is no protection left in hiding now that we have been captured. If there are more good people in your world – which I choose to believe – then the facts are all we have left. But we need someone to spread them.”

Katie hissed and bared her teeth. “The only ones we’re protecting now are Lemuria, and I’m not inclined to help them. They’ve told the world a tragic story of two mermaids washed up injured and sickly; painted themselves our saviours, preserving our lives in a lavish aquarium. They’re going to tell another story that makes them look like heroes. I think it’s time the world heard a different version of the story; the true version. The pain and abuse and heartache, the loss and the crimes, and who they’re actually keeping in a glass cage.”

Luna lifted her chin and nodded. They had nothing left but their reality and the hope that more people might care if they knew who and what Mer truly were. They needed to know.


	52. Master Plans

It had been a hard morning. Tears had been shed and most of the conversation came from choked, shaky voices, but Katie felt better knowing that it had happened. She glanced at the clock and found it pushing into the early afternoon. They had talked and argued for a few hours now, but it was finally decided that at the first opportunity – separately or together – her mom and Lewis would slip away and disappear.

That part hadn’t bothered her mother quite as much as the next debate. It was safest for them to stay silent and in hiding for several months before they sought out help. It was riskier that way, allowing potential cold trails, but if they poked their heads out too early, they were liable to get them bitten off, and that hadn’t sat well with her, and not with Luna or Riley either.

They didn’t iron out all of the details, but that was probably safest for now anyway, so they had all begrudgingly dropped the subject.

Now that silence had begun to stretch, Katie found herself glancing guiltily at Rebecca, who was still perched calmly on the floor a few feet away. Katie chewed her lip and shifted her weight. “I’m sorry that I pushed you,” she said finally. “I shouldn’t have done it; it was rude and immature.”

Rebecca shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for, Katie.”

“I do,” Katie insisted. “I don’t really approve of unnecessary violence; there are better solutions to my anger. I shouldn’t have reacted that way.”

“I wanted you to,” Rebecca argued. “Katie, I was goading you on purpose. I wanted you to get angry and have an outburst. You needed to accept the truth, no matter how hard it was. I should apologize to you, it was not my intent to distress you so thoroughly. But I did wish for you to get angry and to lash out. While it is not necessary for Mer to be hostile or violent, it is important that you know that is okay. It is in our nature and how we survive.”

Katie shivered and hugged her shoulders. “I know,” she murmured.

“Katie,” Rebecca pressed. The woman leaned closer until Katie peered up at her again. “I understand that you have lost much and this last cycle has caused you a lot of pain, but until you can embrace the identity that has been forced on you, it will continue to plague you. Do not continue adding to your burden. You are a Mer, and you were raised human, and you do not need to feel shame for either half of that identity.”

Katie bowed her head and nodded. Tears still stung in her eyes and she chewed her lip but didn’t reply. “I know,” she whispered. “But it’s hard.”

“Do you truly hate it that much?” Rebecca inquired.

Katie shook her head. She didn’t want to give them the wrong idea about her feelings. “I don’t hate the tail…at least, not often. I had a lot of dreams I’m bitter are unachievable now, but I don’t hate it. I hate not having had a choice.”

Rebecca nodded. “I respect that; I am sorry that I goaded you.”

Katie shook her head. “No, it’s okay; you’re right that the outburst was healthy. I’ve been learning that more and more lately.” Katie bowed her head and chewed her lip. She hated what Lemuria was doing to all of them. She wanted it to end.

She took a breath and it whistled back out between her clenched teeth. Her mind drifted back to something Dr. Auldon had said to her. It was still bothering her, and after Rebecca’s comments, Katie was starting to believe she needed to prove him wrong. “Maybe…maybe it is also time for violence,” she commented.

“Katie?” She could hear the frown in her mom’s voice, but she knew she wasn’t disappointed, just confused.

Katie twisted onto the butt of her tail so she could look between her mother, Lewis, and the other Mer. “We’ve been keeping the peace and I’m tired of it. Luna and I kept our heads down for months…moons,” she clarified when a confused look crossed Rebecca’s features. “All it did was give Lemuria what they want. They’ve exploited us and hurt us and put us in cages, and we’ve let them. We’re still letting them. And why? For what? Because they threaten that they’ll punish us if we don’t comply? They’re going to hurt us either way.”

She gestured to Luna as her example. It felt cruel to call attention to the bruises wrapping around Luna’s sides from where Dr. Patron had kicked her. They’d filled her and Riley in on what had happened, and she was proud of Luna for finally standing up for herself, but she was also proof that Lemuria was going to do whatever they wanted, whether or not it was warranted.

“We should stop just letting them do what they want. What more can they do to us that they haven’t already? That they won’t continue to do? We should fight back; at least stop making their job so easy for them.”

She was expecting some resistance to her suggestion – it put them all at great risk, after all – but instead, a wide grin split Rebecca’s lips and she nodded.

“You are correct,” the Mer agreed. “I have kept a tentative peace because we were not all together yet. However, it is not quite yet the right time to break that standstill. I am not keen on it, but Karina does not have the motility to escape with us as she is, the baby will have to be born here and we require that truce with these people a little longer. But after the birth and a short recovery time, there is nothing that will convince me to maintain the peace. They have hurt my family for the last time,” Rebecca declared. She nodded at Sophie. “It is for the best that you and Lewis are not here when the fight breaks out. Mer are a people, we are sophisticated enough to recognize friend from foe, but we do have the potential to become lost in a frenzy. I would rather not worry about which humans are my enemies and which I would regret biting into.”

“They could kill you for that,” Lewis pointed out. The concerned warble in his voice had sympathy surging up Katie’s throat. Just about everyone Lewis cared about was sitting in the room. It was the same for herself and her mom too. But she didn’t want to continue being held against her will.

“Perhaps,” Rebecca conceded. “But we are dead already if we cave to that risk. It will just be a slow, prolonged death filled with misery and unrest.”

Riley hummed in agreement. “I am sorry, Lewis, but my aunt is correct. I would much rather die fighting for my freedom and that of those I love than I would to grow old in a cage to be gawked at.”

“I do not enjoy tussling or fighting of any kind,” Karina whistled. Katie glanced over to where she was hovering in the small tank with her hands curled around her belly. “But if necessary, I will make the exception.”

“Our baby may have to be born here,” Nero added. Katie twisted to stare at him; it was the first time she’d heard him speak. “But they will know the ocean.”

Even Luna whimpered and shook her head. “I do not want to play their game anymore.”

Though Sophie and Lewis weren’t able to understand two of the accounts, there seemed to be a general consensus in the room. Brokering peace wasn’t an option and neither was hoping someone else would save them. Katie lifted her chin, bared her fangs, and hissed. There was an instinct, dark and menacing, that was tightening in her gut. It longed for blood, and this time, she wasn’t keen on suppressing it.

As if sensing her internal unrest, Rebecca hummed and leaned forward. “Be at peace, Katie. It is not time, but you will get your chance when it is. For now, you are reunited with your family and you should treasure that.”

Katie nodded in agreement.

Then the doors opened and the motion stole her attention – and likely everyone else’s by the way multiple heads turned – and two people walked in. A man and a woman. The man was older, with the first hints of gray in his short hair and slight bags beneath brown eyes. He was pushing a trolly with trays of food and two pitches of water. Katie felt parched just staring at it. She hadn’t realized how dehydrated she felt until now.

The woman had shoulder-length auburn hair pinned back off her face and wide hazel eyes. She eyed them all warily as she stepped around Rebecca to approach Lewis. She had a pile of folded clothing clutched in her hands that she passed off to him. “Dr. Auldon thought you would appreciate a change of clothes…both of you,” she reported in a shaky voice as she glanced between him and Sophie. “And I’m supposed to change the dressings on the mermaid that was operated on.”

Lewis took the pile of clothing with a nod of his head, and then immediately passed it off to Sophie. “You’re talking about Riley,” he reported. He nodded in Riley’s direction.

The woman didn’t say anything more to him as she turned and made her way back across the room to Riley’s side, giving Katie and everyone else a wide berth. It was rather amusing to see the woman – who didn’t quite look like she’d hit her thirties – so skittish around them. She was going to have a hell of a time with Riley, who was already grinning by the time the woman reached her.

She pulled out fresh bandages and reached out towards the brace wrapped tightly around Riley’s waist. The moment she touched it, Riley began to growl. It started as a low, barely audible rumble, and grew to a thundering sound that had the woman jumping back with surprise.

Katie couldn’t stop the bark of laughter that ripped from her lips. It caught Riley’s attention and the other girl winked at her before offering the woman an apologetic expression, complete with widened eyes and a pitiful pout to her lip. There was some slight hesitation on her part before the woman stepped closer once more.

As soon as she did, a wide grin pulled onto Riley’s features that showed off her long fangs, and her growl returned even as her smile lingered. It stopped the girl in her tracks once more, and now Luna was giggling alongside Katie.

“Riley,” Lewis scolded gently. “That’s enough now.”

Riley splayed her hand across her chest. “What did I do?”

“You know what,” Lewis replied.

“I don’t know, I thought it was pretty funny.” Katie turned in surprise as she heard her mother’s comment.

Riley seemed to take it to heart however and she raised her hand out in an excited gesture and her tone turned smug. “See? I even have Sophie’s approval; I could not possibly have done something wrong.”

“It speaks!” the woman exclaimed in surprise.

Riley glowered at her and quirked a brow. “It?” she repeated tersely. She bared her fangs again, but this time there was no humour in her features.

Lewis hurried over and placed a hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Lie down,” he requested in a calm tone. “No more games; your bandages do need to be changed, and I’d like a look at how your recovery is coming.”

“But she-”

“Let it go,” Lewis insisted. “Be the bigger person.”

“I do not know what that means,” Riley huffed.

“Being the bigger person means having the emotional maturity to recognize someone else’s faults and forgive them for it. Do not rise to the challenge of being offended and simply let it go…a first time.”

Riley sighed heavily and shook her head. “You are placating me,” she grumbled.

Lewis chuckled and nodded. “Lie down,” he insisted.

Riley grumbled something about him being no fun and reluctantly shifted down to a prone position.

“Thank you, Dr. Patter,” the woman stated as she stepped back up.

Instantly, Lewis whirled on her so fast that Katie recoiled too. “This time,” he repeated. “I can forgive your surprise if you have not worked with them before, but I won’t forgive willful rudeness. These are people. And this girl may have a mischievous personality, but she’s come to be like a daughter to me. Insult or hurt her again, and you won’t have to worry about her anger, I’ll take retribution myself, do you understand?”

The room was silent for a few moments as the two stared at each other. Katie caught Riley’s expression and by her wide eyes and parted lips, she looked surprised and touched by Lewis’ statement.

“I understand,” the woman caved finally. “And I apologize. To you as well,” she directed the last part at Riley. “I’d like to just do my job and go.”

Lewis stepped aside and the woman leaned over to open the brace. “Try not to move until this is replaced,” she instructed Riley. She began cutting away the bandages, but Katie couldn’t see Riley’s injury from her place on the ground, though she strained for a peek.

Lewis was supervising and he made a noise of surprise when the woman peeled away the bandages. “Riley, are you in any pain?” he inquired.

“Not really,” Riley replied. “A little sore, but I am in less pain than I have been for the past moon or so.”

“Your rehabilitation rate has always been high, but it’s only been a little over a day. You should need at least a few more days.”

“Does this mean I can get down? Because I would vastly prefer to be in the water.”

“Did Dr. Auldon give you any injections when you woke up, Riley?”

Riley’s brows knit together and she nodded. “Yes. Two. The second one made me feel really numb and dizzy, and then I passed out.”

“A sedative, that makes sense. What about the first one?”

Riley shrugged. “I do not know. But it did hurt. He put it into my hip.”

“Whatever he gave you is acting as an accelerant to your healing process,” Lewis stated. He turned to the other woman. “We should take her for an x-ray.”

“Dr. Auldon isn’t here right now to authorize that,” the woman refused.

Lewis sighed and shifted his weight. “Look, Riley is a willful sort. We can either take her for some x-rays to determine if she can be cleared or if she has to remain bedridden, or she’s going to just decide for herself.”

“And I do not particularly care about the opinion of your superior either,” Riley added.

The woman sighed. “Very well. But we’ll do it quickly.” She didn’t wait for his response before beginning to pull the gurney from the room.

Lewis stepped back over to Sophie. He cupped her face and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’ll be back,” he assured her.

“Be safe,” she whispered as she kissed him back.

Katie felt her gut sink. Lewis was going to try to leave. She was glad he was doing it, and with Dr. Auldon and Dr. Patron gone, now was probably his best chance, but she still worried for him. He offered her a glance and she nodded at him, hoping he’d understand. Lewis had venomously refused their idea at first. He hadn’t liked the idea of saving his own skin and leaving everyone else in peril. They’d eventually talked him down and reasoned with him. It was for the best for him and Sophie not to be there.

He nodded back and ruffled her hair as he walked past and followed the woman out the door. There wasn’t much more that could be conveyed with the other worker still in the room. She hoped he got away – feared the consequences if he didn’t – but she was going to miss him.

Once he was gone, her attention reluctantly shifted to the other worker. He was setting a metal tray heaped with fish cutlets on the floor beside them. Katie pursed her lips, but it did look rather good. He then fumbled with the keys on his belt to open the lock on Karina’s tank.

Karina sunk into the corner as he lifted the lid, and the man clucked his tongue. “It’s incredibly ill-mannered to threaten a lady, especially one carrying new life. You’re alright, hon,” he assured her. He held up a plate of more fish and some slices of apples, oranges, and peaches. “Are you hungry?”

Karina chewed her lip and released a nervous breath in a puff of bubbles from her gills accompanied by a high pitched, meaningless whistle.

“It is alright,” Rebecca chittered back. “You need to eat, Karina. They will not harm you or the baby.”

Karina was still a moment longer before she pushed off the floor of the tank and slowly broke the surface. The man held the plate out to her and she hesitated before her arms came up to take it from him. The moment it was free of his grasp, she swam backwards as far from him as she could get and leaned down to sniff the food suspiciously.

Katie watched the man glance at her mother. “Suspicious bunch,” he commented lightly.

“Wouldn’t you be?” her mom retorted.

The man shrugged and returned his attention to Karina, who had picked up an apple slice and bit into it. The rest of the piece disappeared a moment later and the woman appeared a bit more relaxed, though she still eyed the newcomer warily as she ate. “I don’t know much about your collective situation. It’s not my job to know or question it, but it doesn’t seem right that a soon to be mother should be penned in away from her support group. I can’t let you out or leave you unattended unless the lid is latched. But things are quiet today, so I _can_ sit in that chair over there for a little while and let you all mingle if you like.”

Karina glanced up as he spoke. She was halfway through a long, thin strip of fish and looked caught in the attention. She reluctantly licked the rest of the meat into her mouth, and then her attention immediately shifted to the pool where Nero was. There was longing sparkling in her chocolate gaze.

The man followed her gaze. “Is that the father?” he inquired.

Karina didn’t appear to be listening to him. “I miss you,” she called.

Nero had hauled himself out of the water and he blinked slowly at her. “You are being very brave,” he assured her.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’,” the man commented. Neither Karina nor Nero had spoken English, so Katie understood his confusion. “Why don’t we pull that cot over for him to sit on?”

“You’d let him do that?” Sophie inquired.

“Why would it be a problem?”

“He’s not supposed to leave the confines of that pool,” her mom replied bitterly. “Lemuria’s orders.”

The man was silent for a moment, and then he walked over to the barrier between himself and Nero and crouched down. “Do you speak English?” he inquired.

Nero stared him down with an intense, brooding gaze. “Yes,” he replied finally.

“I’m not overly interested in why those above me have chosen to separate you. I’m merely a volunteer, I don’t even have a job to lose. I’ll turn a blind eye to you going over there and being with your…mate, I presume? Provided you’re willing to quietly return when the time comes to avoid getting me in any trouble. I’d prefer not to lose my position here over a misunderstanding. Does that agree with you?”

“Yes,” Nero agreed instantly. Katie figured he’d have agreed to just about anything to be closer to Karina. As soon as the deal was struck, her mom began shifting the mattress on the floor out of the way so she could carefully maneuver the gurney away from the wall. Katie shifted closer to the fence and pulled Luna with her so that their fins wouldn’t be in the way of the wheels. Rebecca was quick to join them.

Once she had the cot pushed up against the side of the tank, Sophie helped the worker lift Nero onto it. Karina was already at the edge with her tail angled away from the wall to avoid pressing her belly against the glass. She’d dropped the plate, so fruit pieces were floating on the surface while the ceramic and the meat had sunk to the floor.

Nero stretched up and cupped her face the moment he was set down. Karina hummed and nuzzled against his palm, and he leaned in to press a kiss to her temple.

“I love you,” she chirped.

Nero hummed in response. “I am glad you are unharmed.”

“The baby has been active,” Karina reported. She hand pressed a palm to Nero’s cheek, but her free hand remained curled around her belly.

“Your fins are darkening too,” Nero noticed. Katie frowned – wondering what he meant – until she noticed the long fins on Karina’s sides again. They had been pinkish-gray when Katie had first seen her, but in the few hours that she’d been here, they’d darkened to almost look red and there were more prominent veins standing out in them.

Karina nodded and her face fell. “I am afraid,” she admitted.

Nero nodded. Katie watched his tail muscles bunch, and then he vaulted himself up and over the glass separating them with a splash that sent water sloshing up over the barrier. Karina squeaked in surprise, but Nero twisted to come up behind her and wrap her in his arms. She turned in his grasp and nuzzled his chest.

He bowed his head and purred as he held her and kissed the top of her head. “I am here,” he assured her.

At that moment, with all the other stressors and problems that were happening, it felt like one of the most heartwarming scenes possible to witness, and Katie smiled.


	53. Breathe Deep

Nero was warm and solid, and his heartbeat thumped steadily in Karina’s ears as she rested pressed up against him. The last few turns had been overwhelming and stressful, but it all melted away as he held her in his arms. Her purr was weak but constant as she cuddled up against him.

Nero had leaned himself against the wall of the tank, with his tail bunched up just enough to hold her sideways against him. He had one arm curled around her back and the other was tenderly rubbing her swollen belly. It felt nice and was a partial reason for her steady purr. Just his presence was soothing.

As she cuddled with him, enjoying the massaging touch of his hand on her stomach, Karina felt their unborn child stir within her. She winced as the baby kicked against her, but a wide smile flowed onto Nero’s lips and made her smile too. He had gotten to feel it that time. He had before – once or twice – but the baby had been very active the last few turns, and they had been separated most of that time. She was glad he was with her now to experience it.

She pressed a kiss to his lips and hummed. “Definitely your child,” she grumbled playfully. “Stubborn and rough. Though I imagine they shall have the same gentle heart as well.”

Nero’s head ducked and he pressed a kiss against her cheek, and then her ear. He grazed over her gills and down her neck and Karina hummed. “Most certainly like their mother,” he argued, his voice barely above a whisper. “Mischievous and energetic.”

Karina huffed. She puffed her cheeks and blew a few bubbles at him. “You are far more trouble than I,” she countered. Then she winced and hugged her belly once more as the infant began to stir within her once more. This time, it did not settle after a single kick and Karina whimpered. Nero’s arms held her tight and he whispered reassurances in her ear as she rode out the discomfort.

Nero rubbed her arm and began to purr as the baby finally began to settle down. Karina was quivering in her arms. “Are you alright?” he inquired.

She swallowed a heavy lump in her throat and nodded. “Yes,” she mumbled. She felt her face flush as she gazed out across the room and found multiple pairs of eyes on her. Everyone was looking.

Ixion had left the water to join Rebecca and Luna, and they were all staring at her with intense concern. The human woman – Sophie, she reminded herself – had stepped up to the tank with a question sparkling in her emerald gaze, and Katie was chewing her lip and politely averted her gaze when Karina met it.

“I am alright,” she insisted. She nodded at Sophie since the woman wouldn’t understand her. “It was just a little activity.”

“It will not be long now,” Rebecca muttered. “We need to get you out of there. I would not be surprised to find you in labour before the dawn of the next turn.”

Karina took a breath and chewed at her lip. She had no response. She had been elated to have a baby and Rebecca had coached her on all the different potential trials and complications of birth. The key was staying calm, and Karina had practiced and practiced at settling her heart rate and breathing evenly. But now she was in an unideal environment, with serious threats looming over her, and the risk that her baby might grow up a captive or be taken from her. All Karina wanted was to be a good mother and teach her child all about their origins and the pod that did not survive but would have loved them dearly. She was terrified now of bringing new life into a world as dark and dangerous as their current situation.

“I am afraid,” she admitted to Nero. “I do not know if I can do this. I do not want our baby to be born like this.”

Nero rested his chin on her head, lightly squishing her head fin down as he did. She did not mind, however. He had resumed rubbing her belly as well as her back. “Karina…” he murmured. “I promised you that I hold you close and keep you safe as long as I was able. You were afraid to leave the reef and travel the open ocean even after…” he trailed off and Karina’s heart sunk. She did not imagine that pain would ever fade.

“I remember,” she agreed. And she did. He had been so patient with her, so calm and reassuring and understanding the entire trip. She had never been more grateful for him than in those moons of travel.

“That has not changed,” he assured her. “I am here.”

Karina’s heart fluttered in her chest and she closed her eyes. She did not know what it was like for other mated pairs, and she pitied those who did not feel the same, but Nero was her heart and soul. She felt safest, happiest, and strongest when she was with him. Just making eye contact or brushing up against him could ease any negativity she was experiencing.

Even before she had met him, she had felt alone. She was quirky and outgoing, and yet timid at the same time. She felt outcasted among her peers and uncertain of her place in life. Meeting Nero had changed everything. He made her feel special and desirable, and she finally felt like she had someone who understood her so completely that she did not even have to speak sometimes. He just knew, and she felt she understood him too. Words were no longer necessary between them, and she was certain she only encouraged him to speak because she enjoyed the sound of his voice.

She took a breath and then slumped against him. She hated that she felt weak, but at least she had him for comfort. “I need to be braver,” she whispered. She felt him tangle his hands in her hair and begin massaging her scalp. It was incredibly pleasant and she could not help the purr of satisfaction that rumbled in her chest in response.

“You are brave, Karina,” Nero argued. “You have been so strong.”

“No,” Karina sighed. “I have been terrified and helpless, and everyone else has had to defend me. I do not wish to be so meek. But I do want you to be less hostile. I hate seeing them hurt you.” She trailed her fingers down his tail where he had been slashed a few turns ago. It had mostly scabbed over but still looked warped and angry along his side. She hated it and hated that he had gotten the injury while protecting her.

“I am alright,” he assured her. “And no one has any qualms about defending you; you are with child.”

“I do not like it all the same. Please, Nero, do not give them another reason to harm you. Perhaps if you settle and I comply a little more instead of cringing in terror, they will allow you to remain with me. I agree with Rebecca that we will have to break this fragile peace, but in the meantime, I _need_ you,” she stressed. “I cannot do this alone; not without my partner.”

Nero was silent, but Karina kept her attention fixed on his brooding gaze. She refused to cave on this, no matter how little Nero was going to like it.

Finally, he sighed and nodded before drawing her close once more. He shifted onto his side and tightened his grip so that her grip was nestled against the groove of his torso. She hummed as he kissed her temple, just above her ear. “I will allow them near you,” he decided finally. “So long as they do not seek to cause you harm. I will not sit idly while my mate and baby are at risk.”

“I would not ask you to,” Karina agreed. “Thank you.”

She rolled over and wrapped her arms under his to snuggle as close as possible. She loved the sensation of his heart drumming against her cheek, and she sighed with content. She was so tired all the time now that her pregnancy was peaking, but slumber was fitful without him. Now that they were reunited, she found herself relaxing back into a restful state. It did not help when Nero continued to play with her hair and began to hum in the back of his throat. It was peaceful and she began to drift off.

She was not quite comfortable enough to sleep soundly – merely rest a little – so she could still hear as conversation began to pick up outside the confines of the tank.

She was aware everyone was settling into the meal that had been delivered, and she was hungry too, just not enough to bother moving just yet. Nero was too comfortable a resting perch to leave his embrace for something so silly.

“You and Luna should go for a swim.” Rebecca’s voice floated up from out in the room. “You have been away from it too long now and it will do you good to stop drinking the water better meant for your mother and rehydrate as Mer do.”

“It’s probably a good time to test your gills out again,” Sophie added. English still sounded strange in Karina’s ears and she did not like how it felt on her tongue when she tried to speak it, but she understood why they were using it so Sophie could follow the conversation.

“I guess so,” Katie agreed. “I was just reluctant to swim while I still have to wear this. A shirt’s not exactly streamlined.”

“I doubt it will hinder you very much in a stagnant pool,” Rebecca replied.

“Yeah, but it’s still not comfortable,” Katie sighed. “I guess I’ll just be happy when my scales all grow back in. I used to really miss clothing, and they don’t bother me now, but I guess I now miss having the option to go without.”

“You got used to being a Mer,” Sophie stated.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Katie agreed.

“I’m sure you’ll have a full tail of them again soon. You already look so much better, kiddo. You didn’t see what it looked like towards the peak of your illness. It was really, really bad. You’re looking so much better now.”

“Are you captive-raised then?” the guard inquired. Karina flinched at the sound of his voice. She had forgotten he was in the room.

“Excuse me?” Katie’s voice became slightly pinched.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help overhearing. You were saying something about adjusting to being a mermaid; I assume you meant integrating into a social group. Are you the one Lemuria had longer?”

“No,” Katie replied bitterly.

“I am,” Luna whimpered.

Karina sat up so she could observe the situation. Luna had hunched in on herself. Ixion had pulled himself out of the water and over to Rebecca’s side. His tail was curled over hers, and he reached out to encourage Luna close, where he and Rebecca could both hug her.

Katie snorted bitterly and shook her head. “And I was the one that they made.”

“Made?” the guard echoed. His brows creased together and he frowned.

“Yup. I had a life before Lemuria; a _human_ life. I’m an Australian citizen. Or rather, I was until Lemuria abducted me, faked my death, and performed an illegal genetic experiment to mutate my DNA into that of a Mer last year.”

“Excuse me?”

Katie shrugged at the man’s horrified exclamation. “Well, what did you think was going on?”

The guard shrugged. “They don’t tell volunteers much. I knew that they’d had one of their two original mermaids a lot longer and simply did their best to keep her enriched while alone. They only felt comfortable moving her into a public tank when they found the second because companionship would keep stress levels down. I also know they were stolen a few months ago, and that we’re here because they recovered all of you from a hoarding situation. A wealthy collector keeping intelligent animals in abysmal conditions. We’re based here to administer base medical needs and allow for you,” he paused to gesture at Karina. “To safely give birth before we transport you all back to America where they’re already making adjustments to accommodate an entire pod.”

Sophie shook her head. “I think the only truthful thing about that statement is that they’re waiting for Karina to give birth. I’m the owner of this facility and I’m being held in this room against my will. Katie is my daughter. Luna was certainly not enriched during her time at Lemuria, she was abused, and the rest of these Mer are her family, all wild-caught courtesy of Lemuria.”

“That’s pretty terrible. I’m sorry,” the guard offered. “I had been wondering about that particular fashion statement.”

Karina frowned at the odd comment. She did not understand the context until Sophie paled and her hand raised to the collar around her neck. Karina winced and could not help fiddling with the one around hers. She hated it, but she had not figured out how to get it off.

She met Nero’s gaze when she felt his attention trained on her, and she shrugged and dropped her hand. He nodded his understanding and flicked his tail so his fin would ghost over her scales. She hated the look of the red material encircling his throat too. It was a terrible visual representation of their captivity.

Her hand went to her belly when she imagined they would wrap one around the infant’s neck as well.

She closed her eyes and her mane lowered against her head as she bit back a whine. Nero hummed and she felt his hand press flat against the back of her head. She let him guide her head forward until their noses met. He pressed a kiss to hers and then resumed leaning his face against hers. She did not require words to hear his message.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Nero rumbled in response and pulled her closer. “You need to breathe,” he reminded her. “Your stress is becoming rancid; it is not good for you or the baby.” He paused and kissed her forehead, and began rubbing her back.

“I know,” Karina agreed. She took a breath. “I am trying, I just ah-” she broke off as another sharp jab flared from her middle. She pressed a splayed hand to her belly and winced. Her teeth gritted together and her gills flared as their unborn child writhed within her. The more active they grew, the more it hurt until Karina was doubled over on herself and panting.

Nero had a hand on her chest to keep her from collapsing while his other hand rubbed her back. “Just breathe, Karina,” he encouraged. “Try to calm down.”

“It hurts,” Karina gasped. She was stating the obvious, but it was all she could manage to express herself at the moment.

“Katie, take Luna to the water, okay?” Rebecca requested.

There was a slight hesitation in Katie’s voice as she replied. “O-okay,” she agreed. Out of the corner of her eye, Karina saw her nudge Luna with her tail. She made eye contact with Luna briefly and the younger Mer’s normally vibrant gaze was now clouded with worry. “Come on, Luna,” Katie encouraged. “It’s best we stay out of the way for now.”

Luna tore her gaze away then and nodded. “Okay,” she agreed.

Karina felt a small smile twitch across her face despite her gritted teeth. She found both girls to be incredibly sweet, though she wondered if part of the appeal was due to her looming motherhood. The smile did not linger as another cramping wave seized her body and snatched a whimper from her lips.

“Nero, bring Karina to the surface,” Rebecca instructed firmly. “Sophie, would you mind helping me up?”

“Of course,” Sophie agreed.

Karina bowed her head and thrashed her tail as her infant squirmed again within her gut. This was not like the occasional turning or kicking she had sometimes felt as the pregnancy progressed. That was almost pleasant, in an uncomfortable sort of way, but this was agonizing.

She felt Nero’s one arm curl around her shoulders and the other began to slide under her tail, and she shook her head as he began to shift her and caused more pain to shoot up her body. “Stop,” she begged. “Please, just leave me here; it hurts to move.”

Nero pressed his nose against her cheek. “I will be gentle,” he assured her. “Hug me.”

Karina took another wheezing breath and shakily wrapped her arms around Nero’s neck. He moved incredibly slowly as he lifted her from the bottom of the tank and drew her to his chest. Karina pressed her ear to his chest and listened to the rhythmic thudding of his heart as she tried to relax and focus on breathing through the pain.

Nero behaved just as gently as he rose in the water, though Karina still ground her teeth against the sharp nips of pain that flared with every slight jostle of her body.

When her head broke the surface, Karina coughed weakly and spat out water. Her gills flapped at the sides of her neck and took longer than she cared for to finally settle against her flesh so she could fill her lungs.

Rebecca was there, carefully perched on her tail to be as close as possible. There was not enough space for three of them in the tank. She reached out slowly, and Karina tensed as Rebecca placed her palm flat on her swollen belly. “Describe it, Karina,” Rebecca requested. She pressed into Karina’s gut and Karina whimpered.

“I do not…know how to explain it. It just hurts. The baby…will not settle. Is it supposed to feel as though they are trying to claw their way out of me?”

Rebecca pursed her lips and shook her head. “No,” she replied. “Take a breath and hold it, okay?” Karina barely had time to comply before Rebecca placed both hands on either side of her belly. Karina ground her teeth against one another as the baby thrashed again. She hissed and jerked in Nero’s arms, and his grip on her tightened to keep her cradled against him.

“Is there anything we can do?” Sophie inquired.

“Should I send for a vet?” the guard asked immediately afterwards.

“Absolutely not,” Rebecca growled in English. “Lemuria is the problem.” She returned her attention to Karina and the familiar click returned to her voice. “Karina, your baby is beginning to respond to your emotions. You are frightened and so your baby is perceiving its space as unsafe. Breathe. Deeply and evenly, and try to sleep. Otherwise, you are going to hurt yourself and the baby.”

“I am trying,” Karina whimpered. “I cannot help but worry. I am afraid for us all.”

Rebecca hummed in response. “I know,” she agreed. “But you need to allow us to worry about everything else; the only thing I want you focusing on is your child.”

“But-”

Rebecca shook her head. “No, Karina, I meant it now. Your task is difficult enough without adding more layers. That infant is the only thing that matters and right now, it needs you to calm yourself, so what is that going to take?”

Karina swallowed the lump in her throat and looked away. Her hand went to her belly and rubbed. That had always soothed the infant before if it stirred, but she knew Rebecca was right and that she was too stressed for either of them to settle, so she was not surprised when another agonizing kick came from within her gut that had her huffing and doubling over. “I just want to go back,” she sobbed finally as she felt the sting of tears welling in her eyes. “I do not want to do this; not like this, not here. I am scared they will take them from me.”

Nero began to growl and the deep rumbling vibrated through Karina’s body. He tightened his grip on her and his head bowed so he could nuzzle her cheek with his nose. “They will not,” he stated gruffly. “We would never allow that to happen. Never. They would regret so much as trying.”

Karina pressed her forehead against her mate’s and sighed. Her gaze drifted to the scabbed over wound down his tail. She knew he would fight for her; he was always so quick to do so without complaint, but she hated when he put himself at risk. “I do not want anyone else to get hurt because of me.”

“We are going to fight either way, Karina,” Rebecca reminded. “You will not lose your child to these people. There will be no more lives ruined. You do not have a choice on where you will give birth, but you and Nero will choose where and how you will raise them. You are ready for this, Karina. It is time to breathe and rest, and prepare. It will not be long now and you will need your strength.”

“I do not feel ready,” Karina admitted.

Rebecca hummed and nodded. “That is natural, but I promise that you are. You can do this, and you will have help. We are here for you.”

Karina nodded and forced herself to take a deep breath. “Okay,” she agreed. She hummed in the back of her throat, hoping that the reverberations would reach and soothe the infant Mer. She winced as the baby thrashed once more before finally beginning to fall still.

Karina sighed with relief and slumped against Nero. He was already bearing most of her weight, but he did not complain as she leaned into him. Instead, he rested his jaw on her head and rubbed her back. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too.” Her eyes slid shut and she took a few deep breaths. She always felt calmest and happiest with Nero and so long as he was willing to hold her, she was going to try to heed their advice and get some rest.

Nero leaned back in the water and shifted his hands to hug her to him. Karina wiggled and tucked one arm beneath her to help take some weight off her belly. His actions had lifted her above the surface with only her tail trailing through the water. His occasionally bumped her as he kept them drifting on the surface. It was surprisingly comfortable and Karina yawned widely before settling down against Nero. She could feel exhaustion beginning to take her.

She cracked one eye open and tensed as she heard the doors creak open. It never yielded anything good and her heart sank. She just wanted to rest and spend a little more time with Nero.

Thankfully, it was just the woman from before, returning with Riley. Though Karina had only recently met the stubborn young woman, she liked her quite a bit. Nero’s cousin was trouble, but she also seemed to have a big heart and the confidence to back her bravado. Karina admired her. Riley was currently perched on the cot with a smug grin on her face. Her tail fins flicked and she was drumming her fingers on the surface repeatedly.

As they entered, the guard rose to his feet and shifted his seat out of the way. “How did it go? Where’s the man who accompanied you?”

“Back in the other room,” the woman responded. “He wanted to get a closer look at some of the x-rays just to double-check. He set the original break and participated in the correctional surgery, so he knows more than I do.”

Karina felt a frown tug at her lips. She knew the two humans had to get away as quickly as possible, but while she had not known him long and all of them still made her nervous in varying amounts, she was a little saddened to know that he was not coming back. He had been kind and gentle and understanding and protected her as best he could. Of all the human beings she had needed to interact with, she liked him best of all. She hoped he would be able to escape safely.

The guard did not seem pleased about the news either. “We’re not supposed to leave either of them on their own…no offence,” he added hastily as he nodded in Sophie’s direction. She shrugged in response.

“I know,” the guard’s companion agreed. “But he’s got too much of a stake in this to do anything stupid. I would have stayed, but this one wouldn’t stop fussing and complaining about being dehydrated and needing the water.” The woman made an annoyed gesture in Riley’s direction. “I figured it would be more prudent to bring her back and then return to check on him. It’s only been a few minutes.”

“Was anything said about her physical state?” Sophie inquired.

The woman nodded and leaned forward to begin ripping open the strange white wrapping that was secured around Riley’s waist and tail. “Carmen should be fine so long as she keeps her movements simple and to a minimum. No excessive straining though, or she’ll likely displace something and need surgery again.”

Sophie nodded and stepped forward with her arms open. Riley grinned brightly and sprang into her arms. Sophie squeezed her close and moved away. As she passed the tank, Karina caught the start of their whispered conversation.

“Thank you,” Sophie whispered. Riley hummed in response. Karina grinned. She was not surprised Riley had caused a ruckus to distract that woman into leaving Lewis alone. She would likely find that room empty when she returned to it.

“You should go,” Riley murmured back. “There are very few of them here right now. No one properly in command. It is the best time.”

As Riley spoke, Sophie stiffened, and Karina could taste the sorrow spilling from her body. It made her heart clench to see. Her hand moved to her belly as she watched them. She could not imagine being forced to leave her child alone. They were not even born yet and Karina felt incredible love and attachment to the baby. She already dreaded that someone might try to rip them from her arms. Though she did not yet know her very well, Karina pitied Sophie’s position. She had to leave her daughter and others she cared about behind. It probably felt like saving herself but was to preserve the number of people who knew the truth and could get help. They needed her and Lewis out of the way, but it had to be incredibly painful to be so helpless to protect her loved ones. Karina herself was familiar with that pain.

She found herself desperately hoping that Sophie would not only get away but that she could reunite with her daughter again soon in a way Karina herself would never experience.

The sorrow struck her like a blow to her middle, but Nero’s warm arms instantly tightened around her and he began to rub her back. He always seemed to know when her thoughts drifted there. When he began to purr, she rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes as she listened to the steady beat of his heart. She took a breath. He was right. Sophie’s situation was terrible, and she hoped for the best for her – and them all – but right now she needed to protect the well-being of her unborn child by remaining as calm as possible.


	54. Fugitive

Sophie hugged Riley tightly. She’d had to bite back laughter when the female worker had mentioned Riley’s ceaseless complaining. She’d known instantly why the girl had done it; so that there would be an incentive to leave Lewis alone. The woman was going to return to an empty room. “Thank you,” Sophie whispered as she stepped away from the cot and moved towards the pool where Katie and Luna were.

Riley hummed in response and shifted in Sophie’s grip. Her breath was hot on Sophie’s ear as she responded. “You should go. There are very few of them here right now. No one properly in command. It is the best time.”

Sophie tensed, though she tried not to show it. She wasn’t ready to leave. She still wasn’t sure about this plan.

“Please,” Riley added softly. “When they discover Lewis gone, they are going to be incredibly vigilant. It is now or never, and you must go. We need you to.”

Sophie took a breath and continued walking. She crouched down and carefully lowered Riley down onto the side of the pool so that her fins could trail in the water. “Remember not to overdo it; I mean it this time, I don’t want you hurting yourself,” she stated at a normal volume. Riley was staring at her and Sophie winced but pursed her lips into a determined pucker. Riley nodded and relief claimed her expression. “I will,” she agreed. “Thank you.”

Sophie licked her lips and glanced at Katie. While she loved Luna too and would always be overjoyed to have her around, Sophie acknowledged the younger girl had her parents. But Katie and Riley were her daughters, that would never be a question, and it pained her to leave them in danger. Her hands shook. She wasn’t sure if she could do it.

There was sorrow in Katie’s eyes, but she nodded. Sophie couldn’t argue. Her family had made their choice on the matter and just this once, Sophie had to let them even if she yearned to remain with them.

They had to fight, she agreed with that. Sophie had no idea how she might amass aid for them if Lemuria succeeded. Fighting might be their only option, and while she felt she should stay and join them if they considered her a liability, she couldn’t justify getting in the way.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, squeezed Riley’s hand tightly between her fingers, and mouthed an ‘I love you’ to Katie. Both their smiles were forced, but then Katie dove under the water and began chasing Luna around as if nothing were wrong.

Riley’s fingers pulled from Sophie’s grasp and she slipped into the water while keeping one arm braced on the side. She hummed and rested her chin on the deck. “See? Being careful,” she stated. “You do not have to hover.”

“Well, I should get back and check in on Dr. Patter,” the woman announced.

“I’ll keep an eye on things here,” the older man agreed. Sophie didn’t know their names, but they weren’t so terrible.

Once the woman was gone, Sophie counted out thirty seconds in her head before clearing her throat and calmly approaching the guard. “I need to go down the hall,” she told him.

The man eyed her and pursed his lips. “I’m not supposed to allow you to leave the room,” he stated after a moment.

Sophie nodded in agreement. “I know, and I don’t want to complicate your situation…but there isn’t a bathroom in here,” she pointed out. “And it would be nice to get changed with a little privacy while I’m there.” She grabbed the small pile of clothing that had been brought for her from off the opposite cot where she had set them down and lifted them for him to observe.

He coughed and nodded. He looked a little flushed. “I suppose that’s fair,” he agreed. “I’d rather if you were escorted to avoid the risk of a conflict, but I shouldn’t leave these ones here unattended,” he stated as he gestured around the room at the Mer. “When Debbie gets back, I’m sure she’ll be happy to go down with you, she should only be a few minutes.”

Sophie grimaced. She needed him to let her go alone. “Normally that would be fine and I hate to let my composure slip, but it’s been hours. I really need to go now or I’m going to have a problem. It’s just three doors down, you can watch me go,” she suggested. She was sure the others would be quick to invent a distraction if he hovered in the doorway looking for her anyway.

The man’s face reddened and he nodded. “Alright, go,” he relented. “But please be quick about it.”

Sophie nodded her thanks and hurried to the doorway. It wasn’t a total lie that she’d told him, but she still felt bad for deceiving him. He was almost certainly going to get in trouble for this when both she and Lewis turned up missing.

Her heart fractured into pieces when she left the room without so much as a backwards glance. She bit her lip to keep tears at bay as she pushed through the door into the bathroom. She had been escorted twice before, but going alone gave her the perfect opportunity to slip away, given that the bathroom opened into two different hallways, the one she’d just come from, and one on the other side where the administration offices were.

She took a breath and quickly changed and tidied up as best she could. She paused as she caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror. Though she’d run her wet fingers through her curls, they were still matted and dishevelled, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She looked like crap, but she imagined going on the run like she was about to that it would be that way for a while. She only hoped she could meet up with Lewis quickly. They’d made some hushed plans about how they’d get in contact if they left separately, but the sooner the better. They could watch each other’s backs that way, and she would feel better if she wasn’t entirely alone.

She closed her eyes for a moment and reached up to unbuckle the collar from around her neck. She pulled it away from her throat and stared at it with a deep hatred. She wanted to chuck it in the bin, but just as she turned to do so, the tag caught her eye. Her ‘name’ was on the front, but the back had Lemuria credentials on it. She sighed and stuffed it into the pocket of the hoodie they’d given her. It was a size too big, but that played in Sophie’s favour as she tugged the hood up over her head. It was unusual for people to wear hoodies this late in the dry season, but it was pushing evening now, the park was going to experience a flood of visitors leaving, and hopefully, she’d just blend in enough to slip away without anyone recognizing her face.

Now that she was ready, Sophie knew she had to move quickly. It wouldn’t be long before someone came looking for her. She hadn’t heard any commotion, but she imagined there were only seconds before they noticed Lewis was missing and raised the alarm.

Thankfully, the admin hallways were virtually desolate and she managed to slip down them without running into anyone. The sun was setting when she stepped outside into the public areas, and crowds were beginning to shuffle towards the exit. Sophie took a breath and stuffed her hands into her pockets. She kept her gaze averted slightly downwards to make it harder for anyone to see her and merged with the crowds.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she walked, convinced someone would grab her and haul her back. She needed to only hope that no one would recognize her. At least she wasn’t too far from the main gate. She would feel a lot better once she was out of the park. Lemuria had taken away Lewis’ phone and wallet when they’d apprehended him, and she no longer had her cell either, but Dr. Auldon had either forgotten to take her ID or hadn’t thought it mattered that she had it. She supposed it logically didn’t. She herself had never anticipated leaving. But she’d given Lewis one of her credit cards and some cash. The credit cards would be in case of an emergency since they could be traced, and she didn’t have a lot of physical money on her, but it would be enough to get herself a shuttle lift to the next town, where she planned to get to the bank and withdraw as much as she could, and then go to her and Lewis’ agreed-upon meetup place.

Her walk was short and she was so wrapped up in her concerns and next moves that Sophie barely even noticed as she left the park without a hitch. She was halfway down the street when the gravity of her actions finally slammed into her. She bit her lip, but couldn’t stop the tears that blurred her vision and began to slip down her cheeks. She wiped at them with the sleeve of the sweater and shook her head. She had to stay focused. It was breaking her inside to know that she had just left them behind. Katie and Riley and Luna, and the other Mer. She felt terrible, but it was too late now. She just wished it hadn’t been so easy. Part of her had been hoping she would get caught so that she could stay with them.

But there was no turning back now. She had to trust them to manage for a while on their own until she could get some proper help. There had to be a way to combat Lemuria. She just had to find it.

***

Sophie shifted on her stool and tried not to appear as uncomfortable as she felt on the inside. The room was dimly lit and desolate, and the faint smells of beer and bacon grease lingered in the air. There was only one other patron milling about the small restaurant bar. There weren’t many planning to party at noon on a Tuesday. It was why she’d picked the time. She winced and lifted a glass of iced tea to her lips, ignoring the odd looks she kept getting from the tired bartender who was currently polishing glasses while soft, old jazz music played from behind the bar.

She didn’t want any alcohol in her system, but she’d had to order something, so iced tea and a bowl of pretzels was good enough for now, though she’d hardly touched the latter. It had been just over twenty-four hours since she’d slipped away, and she felt guiltier every minute she was away from Katie and Riley. She’d have no way of knowing if they were okay.

Questions just kept swirling around in her mind. Had Lemuria taken their frustrations out on any of the Mer after she and Lewis disappeared? Or had it been the semi-decent staff who’d taken the fall? Had Karina gone into labour yet? Were they going to move them back across the world sooner now that she and Lewis weren’t an issue, or would they stay longer and hunt them?

She hadn’t gotten much sleep that night and everything tasted like sand in her mouth when she tried to eat something. She hated how everything had gone so far. She chewed her lip and bit into a pretzel to distract herself enough that she wouldn’t start crying again. That would get her more than an odd look.

Sophie sighed and glanced at the clock on the wall. Twelve-twenty. She’d arrived early just in case, but was now beginning to lose hope that she’d see Lewis today.

They’d agreed on this as a meetup spot, but that they’d only linger for an hour between noon and one on weekdays. Once a week went by, they’d move on and there’d be another meetup.

But Lewis had left before her, and she desperately hoped he’d gotten away. She didn’t think she could go through with this on her own. Being alone was always one of her worst fears, and she was fighting with that desperation now. It was only exacerbated by her fears for everyone she loved, none of whom she knew were safe.

She took another sip of her drink when she finally noticed the doors open. She’d angled herself so that she could see the entryway without needing to turn to look.

It was just a young woman that walked through the door, however, and Sophie’s spirits sunk. The girl had her red-brown hair tied back in a tight braid and she was wearing dark clothes with the bar’s logo on the breast of her shirt. Just an employee.

Before the door had fully swished closed behind her, it swung open again, and Sophie’s heart stalled. He was dressed in a dorky tourist shirt with a cartoonish rattler on it – though she hardly blamed him for needing to seek out a cleaner set of clothes since he hadn’t been able to change – and he looked more worn down than she was, but he could have looked like death warmed over and still been a beautiful sight. She forced herself not to spring up and fall into his arms, and instead waited to see what he would do.

They made eye contact briefly as he passed her to move to the far end of the bar. He waved the bartender over and began asking the other man a few questions about how one might reserve a space for a party. It was a rather brilliant way of stalling without having to sit and order, and Sophie’s tab was already paid, so she tipped the iced tea back to finish it. Setting her glass on the counter, she rose from the stool, stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jeans, and walked calmly from the bar.

It was hard to maintain the façade of composure when her heart was hammering in her chest, and once she was clear of the front entrance, Sophie slumped against the wall. She bit her lip and took a breath, and a moment later, she saw Lewis leave the bar.

Her composure slipped and she hurried over to him. Before he could get a word in, she threw her arms around him. “I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered.

Lewis’ arms came up and he squeezed her to him. “Are you alright?” he inquired.

Sophie swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. She felt choked and didn’t trust herself with words. All that mattered was that he was there, unharmed and with her.

“Alright, come on then,” he urged. His arms fell away, but he captured her hand in his and pulled her around the corner and into the bar’s parking lot. Just like the establishment, the lot was quite barren, with only a few vehicles parked.

Lewis led her towards a white work van and she frowned. “You took a van?” she inquired.

Lewis nodded. He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the vehicle. “Yeah. I snuck down to the underground lots and took one of the unmarked ones in the back. Figured the logo was anything but subtle, but this was the best way to get around.”

“It was smart,” Sophie agreed. She pulled open the passenger door and climbed in. Lewis followed in suit with the driver’s seat. As he was settling in, Sophie was struck with a thought. Her hand moved to her throat with a wince. “Are you sure there’s no way for them to listen in? It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“I doubt Lemuria would have felt the need – or had time – to bug all the vehicles. None of the staff knew what was going on, not really, and they wouldn’t have expected us to leave. But I did a sweep anyway. I didn't find anything.”

Sophie nodded. It made sense, and they were much better off with a vehicle. She couldn’t help the deep hole that gaped in her heart and she bowed her head. She had been forcing herself to keep everything together up until now because she couldn’t afford to have a breakdown, but now everything came bubbling back up to the surface and it was like an incredible weight on her chest she could hardly bear. Tears brimmed in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, and she felt the shudders begin to wrack her body as she struggled to suppress the sobs scalding the back of her throat.

“Soph?” Lewis inquired.

Sophie shook her head and brought a hand to her mouth to smother a whimper.

She felt Lewis’ arm drape across her shoulders and she leaned into him across the gap between their seats. His other arm came up to hold her and he rested his chin on his head. “Oh Sophie…” he trailed off and she shuddered.

“I just…I wish I knew if they were okay.”

Lewis nodded and squeezed her more tightly. “I know. But they are. They have each other, all of them. And Lemuria isn’t going to hurt them; they’re too valuable.”

“You don’t know that,” Sophie protested. “You didn’t see what I saw…If Luna hadn’t…” she trailed off and hiccuped. She couldn’t bring herself to complete the thought. She was terrified to think of what Dr. Patron might have done if Luna hadn’t incapacitated him; what he still might do to get revenge.

Lewis was silent for a moment. “We have to trust them, Sophie. We had this conversation several times. They all wanted us to leave. If getting out of the way lets them deal with the situation the way they need to, then we need to respect that,” he said, though his tone sounded strained.

“Do you think we made the right choice?” Sophie asked. She twisted to gaze up at him and watched as his jaw tightened and he stared unblinkingly through the windshield.

“No,” he answered finally.

Sophie’s heart stalled in her chest and she licked her lips. “Should we go back?” she inquired.

There was another moment of silence before Lewis sighed and shook his head. “No,” he repeated. “No. I don’t like it – I hate it – but it is for the best. We were no good to them there and we both know what happens if we go back. There are no second chances this time; Lemuria won’t put any trust in us to ‘behave’,” Lewis growled. “I hated leaving them behind, but at least we can try to do some good from the outside. We’ll know right away if they reopen the aquarium tank, and we’ll make a plan. People _we_ pick and can trust this time.”

He was right. Having Lukshia’s betrayal confirmed had been a blow. Katie had seemed so downtrodden when she reported it, but Sophie felt worse. She’d allowed the woman into her home, to take control of the situation, and she’d put her family at incredible risk because she was naïve and scared. It wouldn’t happen again. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said. “I couldn’t do this alone. I need you.”

“I’m here, I’m not going anywhere,” Lewis agreed. He pressed his lips to her cheek and she sighed. She was immensely grateful to have him. “How did you get out of there anyway?”

Sophie shrugged and grinned bitterly. “When Riley came back and it was mentioned that you stayed behind, it opened up the chance. It meant that woman had to go back for you. I just made out a bathroom emergency and walked down the hall. Got changed and slipped out the other door into the administration hall. I just followed the crowds right out the front gate. You?”

“Her name is Debbie. She wasn’t terrible, but she was impatient. Riley’s more cunning than I think she gets credit for because she noticed and exploited that the moment I said I wanted a closer look at her x-rays. I was stalling, I was hoping she might leave me alone, but I never said a thing to Riley. She just…did it. Whined obnoxiously until Debbie got frustrated and took her back. I left and went the other way, took the stairs down to the underground lot, and lifted a set of keys from the office. We might have to rethink some of the security measures at the park when all this is over, but it was easier than I was expecting. I was just worried that they were going to take it out on you. No one in charge seems to have much care in what the Mer have to say unless it’s specifically necessary. They would have come after you for details about a plan though. I’m glad you got out before the alarm was raised.”

Sophie wiped at her eyes and glanced up at him again. His dark eyes were glistening too and she knew he shared her pain. He’d always loved Katie too, would have moved mountains for her when she was young. And despite how Riley enjoyed harassing him, he’d taken a shine to her. He tried to be subtle about it – probably because Riley was rather independent – but it showed in all the little ways he joshed with her and tried to make her smile, and how he jumped whenever she was hurt and worked extra hard to get her up and moving again as quickly as possible because he knew she hated staying still. The way he’d stood up for her the other day had seemed to really surprise her in a good way.

“We’ll see them again,” Lewis insisted. “But right now, we have to focus on getting out of here. We’re going to help them, but we’re no good if we get caught again.”

“I know,” Sophie agreed. She squeezed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I just miss all three of them already.”

“Me too,” Lewis agreed.

Sophie took a breath and forced herself to sight up and put her seatbelt on. “So what’s the plan?”

“I got in contact with an old buddy of mine down at the marina. He works in the shipping business now. Told him I was in a jam and needed to lie as low as possible. He offered to get both of us on a ship. It’s not like we can go back to the house for our passports or anything, so it’ll be a serious solid, but he can get us at least to Spain. I have a cousin who migrated up that way who might be willing to help us out a little. It’s a lot further than I’d like, but sticking around is asking for trouble and we’re not exactly equipped to hole up inland.”

“No, we’re not,” Sophie agreed with a sigh. “You’re right, this is the best course of action. I don’t like it, but I don’t think we have a lot of options.” She paused for a moment and squeezed his hand again. He’d really gone above and beyond lately with everything she’d managed to drag him into. “Thank you, Lewis. You have no idea how much it means that you’re still in this. I’ve never needed you more and I’m so grateful for everything.”

Lewis nodded and grinned. “I’m never going to run, no matter what you and our crazy backwards family drag me into,” he promised her. “We should get to the shipping yard.”

Sophie took another breath and nodded. She reluctantly relinquished his hand and focused her attention forward. “You’re right, let’s go.”


	55. Best Laid Plans

Lewis drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he drove. There was a sombre mood hanging heavily over the two of them as he drove. He’d tried to have the radio on for a while, but he’d been too distracted to really listen to it. Sophie had finally twisted the dial to turn it off and he was glad that she did. The silence was suffocating, but the slightly grainy music had been worse.

He pursed his lips and kept himself steady at the wheel, but found his gaze drifting briefly to the woman he loved. Sophie was turned away from him, staring out her window silently. He could see her reflection in the glass, from her haunted gaze to her gaunt expression and pale complexion. She looked like hell. He wasn’t surprised, he felt like it too.

They’d been driving for a little over an hour now, and they’d barely spoken since they started. She didn’t seem to have the heart for chatting and he didn’t know what to say.

Her hand was curled limply in her lap, so as he redirected his gaze to the road, he reached out and twined their fingers. He gave hers a squeeze and she clenched his hand in response.

“How are you holding up?” he inquired. He stroked the bridge of her hand with his thumb and only glanced at her again when she didn’t immediately respond. “Soph?”

Sophie had her cheek pressed against the windowpane. Her eyes were closed and she swallowed heavily. “I want to go back,” she warbled. “I know we can’t, but I _want_ to. I can’t stand not knowing they’re all alright.”

Lewis sighed and squeezed her hand again. He was tempted to pull over, but it was better they keep driving. “I know. I hate it too. But we have to choose to have faith that they’ll all be alright,” he reminded her.

“I know it’s selfish…I’m concerned for all of them, but I’m really worried about Katie. I know Riley can look after herself and Luna’s got her parents, and Nero’s not going to let anything happen to Karina. But Katie…she’s a liability to them, really. She doesn’t have anyone to stick with her-”

“She has Riley,” Lewis interrupted. “Riley was willing to throw her freedom away for Katie, for you. She won’t abandon that now. And you know that Luna would never, ever forgive her family if they forced her to leave her sister behind. Katie is surrounded by the best protection she could have at the moment. You’re feeling guilty, Soph, but there’s nothing more we could have done. And what we still can, we’re going to do.”

“I-I just…I can’t stand to think about everything that has gone wrong and that can still go wrong. They’re not safe. Katie…Riley…Luna…we, I promised to protect them, and now…The more I think about it…I can’t breathe.”

Lewis glanced over at Sophie again. She was pulling at her hair with one hand and had the other pressed to her chest. She was quivering and gasping and pale. “Should I pull over?” he suggested. She looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack.

She was silent for a moment and swallowed noisily, then he saw her shake her head out of the corner of his eye. “No. No, keep going. We have to keep going so we don’t turn around.”

Lewis chewed on his bottom lip as he drove. They were on a desolate backroad. It was the long way around to the shipping yard, but it meant fewer traffic cameras and other means of potentially tracking them, which he wanted to avoid. They hadn’t done anything wrong to be on the run from the law, but he wasn’t certain how far Lemuria’s resources stretched and figured it safest to avoid public areas altogether.

He hated the idea of leaving Sophie to her thoughts, however, since he knew she was prone to hyper-fixating, so he cleared his throat. “Do you still know Roxanne’s number?” he asked. The name left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he shoved the awkward feelings down.

“As long as she hasn’t changed it since last year, yeah,” Sophie replied. “Why?”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what to do. Luna was right when she said that we’re the only ones who want to preserve the truth now, and they’re all right that we should spread it. Mer aren’t a secret anymore and hiding what Lemuria has done doesn’t benefit any of us. The world knows that mermaids exist, now they need to realize that the Mer are people, not pretty animals in a cage to admire.”

“What does that have to do with Roxanne?”

“We’re going to need a spokesperson. Someone well known to share the truth with the public. She’s very well known in the States especially, ever since she started acting.”

“But why would she help us?” Sophie pressed. “I tried for years to get her to come around again, but she wants nothing to do with Katie and she hates me. I don’t know how she feels about you, but she’s never called or come to visit. Why would she risk her reputation on any of us now?”

Lewis pursed her lips. It was true that their relationship with her wasn’t great. It was practically non-existent. Even back in high school, Roxanne had only tolerated him because he and Michael were buds. She was pleasant, but always in her own world.

When he and Michael drifted apart – they never fought, life just got busy and Michael and Sophie had always been the closer two friends – he stopped hearing from Roxanne altogether, hadn’t even seen her since the last time he’d been over to their house when Katie was still a baby. And Sophie had been in Roxanne’s bad books for years due to her friendship with Michael. Even before Katie was born, Roxanne had always been jealous. She never said or did anything outright, but anyone could see it; she saw Sophie as a threat to her marriage.

It wasn’t an unfounded belief. Lewis was fairly certain that if Sophie had asked Michael and Katie to stay with her, Michael would have left Roxanne. He’d loved her in high school, but stayed with her out of obligation later. They weren’t compatible. Roxanne was a workaholic who wanted to exist in the most popular social circles that she could, and she was consumed with that in her adult life. Michael was a family man who wanted kids and a happy, mundane family life.

They tried not to talk about it because it wasn’t fair, but Katie was Roxanne’s last-ditch attempt to preserve her marriage when she truly believed Michael was going to leave her. Once it became clear that he wasn’t going to cut Sophie from his life and wanted to shower all his attention on their daughter, Roxanne had lost interest in Katie entirely. Katie was only a year old when her mother went from viewing her as a necessary annoyance to a burden and a failure.

Sophie was right to believe that the woman would have no desire to help them now, but she might be their only chance. “It’s worth a try,” he sighed finally. “She’s the only one who knows us enough that she _might_ take our word without hard proof. Whether it’s us or the Mer themselves who do it, this secret Lemuria is trying to keep is going to crack wide open eventually. It would be great for her image to be on the front of a charitable situation like this, trying to save people; children, families, a mother and her newborn, from such a terrible fate. At least there’s something in it for her.”

Sophie drummed her fingers on the side of her door and hummed. “Even if we convinced her to help, we’re still going to need proof. She could believe us and dive headfirst into the cause, but the public, news networks, activists, and especially anyone in power to make a permanent change...they’re going to need proof. They’re not going to take us at our word, even with Roxanne’s help.”

Lewis nodded. “Actually, I do have some; I just don’t have access to it right now.”

“What proof?” Sophie inquired.

“I have some video footage of you and Riley playing chess, back when she was first brought in. Back then, I was documenting some things to compare how similar Mer were to people. She was a fascinating discovery, a fully sentient creature with a culture, a society, and the capability of communicating with us directly…I wanted to have footage to validate what we were seeing, experiencing with her. I stopped recording after a while when she started coming back around more and more, felt too much like treating her like a case study than a teenager who wanted some social affection.

But I kept the footage stored on a secure online database. I used a different account than my usual and never told anyone so Lemuria shouldn’t know about it. When Katie and Luna were delivered to us, I added to it again. This time, it was meant to be a failsafe in this situation. I have them interacting with one another and Katie responding to and recognizing the identity of the human girl who supposedly died. I kept it all stored away just in case, but when keeping them hidden was the safer option, I never thought we’d need to use it. Now, I’m thinking we should,” he reported.

He glanced at Sophie and could see her mulling over what he’d said. “I want to say that I wish you’d told me, but after finding out Lemuria was listening in on me, I’m glad you didn’t. I don’t know if it will be enough, but if Lemuria puts them on display again, it won’t be hard to verify. I’m sure a few of them would brave any consequences of confirming nosy suspicions about their sentience.”

“You know Riley would,” Lewis pointed out. “I’m sure she’d even have a little fun toying with both sides while she did it. You know as well as I do that she’s never had any respect for a presumed authority. Lemuria is going to have a hard time controlling her.”

Sophie’s bark of laughter at his comment echoed through the van. It was choked and broken, but at least she’d cracked a smile. “I hope she gives them hell,” she replied with a fond shake of her head. “I hope they all do. I don’t know if it will be enough, but it’s definitely worth a try; I can’t think of anything better we could try. I’m not exactly looking forward to a show and tell session with Roxanne about it, but I’ll call her as soon as we have secure access to a phone.”

Lewis took her hand in his and held it for a moment. She squeezed his fingers and flashed him a broken smile. It hurt to see her in so much pain, but at least they had some semblance of a plan now. He didn’t like fumbling around in the dark, especially with such high stakes involved. He pulled away to return both hands to the wheel and pressed a little harder on the gas. He wanted to get out of the immediate vicinity as soon as possible.

As he drove, he could hear Sophie muttering to herself under her breath and he couldn’t help a smile. He was scared to death for Katie and Riley and the others, and for Sophie and himself, but Sophie now had a plan to focus on and she’d fixate on it, rather than their loss, for a few hours at least as she worked out as many details in her head as she could. It made him feel a little better to at least know she was distracted enough to no longer be on the brink of a meltdown. Her stress was too high to be healthy and she needed some proper rest that she wouldn’t get if she continued to fret as much as she had been.

There wasn’t much to look at on the dusty backroad they were driving down, and Lewis pulled the visor down to block the worst of the sun’s glare from his eyes, but he’d rather things be dull and calm than have anything happen. Thankfully, they were practically alone on the road. There was only one other vehicle behind them. A sleek black pickup that had turned onto the road at the last junction. It was moving pretty fast and nearly riding Lewis’ bumper, so he pulled closer to the shoulder of the road to let it pass. It would have plenty of room to go around him and no oncoming traffic to hinder the process. It was probably just some car-proud driver looking to rev the engine on an abandoned road.

“What are you doing?” Sophie inquired. She’d probably noticed him slowing down a bit.

“Just letting this truck pass us,” Lewis replied. He slowed a bit more to encourage the truck to take the opening. He didn’t like having someone on his bumper in a cargo van with reduced visibility.

It took a moment and one obnoxious beep of the truck’s horn before the driver finally took the opening Lewis had given him. It swerved out into the opposite lane and began driving alongside the van. Lewis slowed a little more. Even if there was no other traffic, it was dangerous to just be driving on the wrong side of the road, so he wanted to make certain the truck could get by as quickly as possible.

The truck started to pull ahead and then veered suddenly towards them so that the side of the passenger door bumped Lewis’ front tire. He jerked the wheel away, but they were already too close to the side of the road and the van’s opposite tires slipped off the edge. With the change in traction, the van spun and then skidded off the road entirely.

“Lewis!” Sophie cried in alarm.

Lewis slammed on the brakes reactively, but it was too late. They were off the road and sliding down the ravine on the far side, and all braking had done was throw the bulky vehicle further off balance. Lewis tried to yank the wheel, but the van flipped and he was slammed back against his seat as it began rolling down the rest of the bumpy hill. He threw an arm up to brace against the glass of his window as the world spun. Pain lanced up and down his body and he heard Sophie cry out, cutting off her previous shriek, and then she fell silent.

When the van finally thudded down, it was lying on the passenger side and Lewis’ ears were ringing. His vision was clouded over and his entire body ached. He found himself slumped sideways in his seat, barely being held in place by the seatbelt when his vision finally cleared. He groaned and shook his head before looking around.

“Sophie?” he called shakily. He glanced down. They were sideways, so she was below him. Her eyes were closed and her posture limp. There was blood sprayed over the passenger window in a grizzly spatter that made Lewis’ heart squeeze. “Sophie!” he called louder.

Panic set in when she didn’t stir. She’d hit her head and they had no phone and no way to call for help. That truck had run them off the road and Lewis didn’t anticipate the driver stopping to help them.

Lewis fumbled around trying to find the latch to his seatbelt. He had to get to her and make sure she was alright, that she didn’t have severe head trauma and that she wasn’t bleeding out. He hoped she was just knocked cold by the blow. White-hot pain shot up his one arm as he moved it and his head was spinning like a top as he fumbled, but he didn’t have time to waste on his own injuries. “Soph, please,” he begged through gritted teeth. His hands were shaking and he couldn’t release his seatbelt.

He let his head fall limp for a second as he sipped air and tried to steady his vision. He needed to check on her, and then he needed to get them some help, so he knew he had to pull himself together.

He clenched his jaw and lurched for his buckle again. He fought through the agonizing pain rushing through his arm as he did. It was already beginning to swell and he suspected he’d broken or fractured the bone. As he wrestled with the life-saving strap now holding him hostage, Lewis thought he heard the squeal of tires above. There were voices and crunching footsteps, and he hoped perhaps someone else driving by had seen their downed van. It looked like there was smoke rising from the engine, so maybe they had been noticed.

“H-help!” he called as loud as he could manage before breaking into a round of weak coughs. He was so dizzy and the dull ringing in his ears refused to dissipate. He could hear footsteps crunching closer, but before he could find out who it was, his vision clouded over, his head spun, and he passed out.


	56. Intervention

Lewis had been knocked out cold only once before when he was thirteen and had taken a volleyball to the face during a gym class and hit his head on the way down. At the time, he’d woken with ringing in his ears and while a dull pain had pulsed at the back of his skull, it had mostly felt like he’d been stuffed full of sand. This time was much worse. The ringing was louder, like a clanging bell just inside his ears, his entire body ached and his head pounded as though someone was beating him with a mallet from within his skull, which now felt like it housed a boulder.

He groaned as he opened his eyes, only to immediately squeeze them shut against the blinding lights that had bombarded his vision with fuzzy gray spots.

He was more cautious the second time as he reopened them and blinked rapidly until his eyes adjusted. He had one of the worst headaches he’d ever had and was desperate for something to dampen it.

He was sprawled flat on a twin bed with a thin sheet tucked up around his chest. When he turned his head, he saw his left hand bound in a thick cast and tucked up in a sling against his chest. That explained the burning throb emanating from the limb.

The room was small and simple, with cream coloured walls. There was a nightstand with a lamp and a small digital clock that read seven. It was evening. He’d been unconscious for at least three hours.

Lewis wasn’t given much time alone to collect himself before the handle turned and the door to the room swung open with a slow creak of its hinges.

He frowned and narrowed his gaze at the doorway. A tall, bulkier man stood there. He had charcoal skin and chocolate eyes, and his hair was buzzed short, but he smiled widely when he caught Lewis looking. “Finally awake, huh?” he inquired as he strode into the room.

Lewis winced as he slowly propped himself up with his good arm. His head spun as he sat up, but he took a breath and held it, counting to five in his head before releasing it. He felt better after that.

“You’ll want to take it slow,” the man advised. “You and your girlfriend took quite the spill down that ravine.”

As the man spoke, everything that had happened came rushing back. “Sophie,” Lewis panicked. “Where is she? She was hurt, I-” he broke off as he tried to surge out of bed and nearly toppled over. He was still quite dizzy. The other man braced his hand on Lewis’ chest and carefully guided him back into a stable, sitting position.

“Easy there,” he said. “You’ve had quite the day. The woman with you is fine; my wife’s a nurse and with her now. She’s banged up worse than you, scrambled her brains a little on impact, but Sara thinks she should be alright with a little rest. I’ll take you to see her, but you got to settle down, mate. You’re going to hurt yourself if you push too fast. You alright?”

“Yeah,” Lewis replied. He waved his hand to shoo the stranger away. It felt rude, but he was feeling a bit on edge. “What happened?” he pressed. “Who are you?”

“I suppose I didn’t introduce myself,” the man conceded. “I’m Mitch. You were in a car accident. You swerved off the road if you recall. You got a name, mate?”

“Lewis,” Lewis replied. He was feeling a bit better now, less lightheaded, so he pushed himself upright and regarded Mitch. “I appreciate the help, but I really need to get to Sophie and make sure she’s alright.”

Mitch nodded. “Can’t blame you for that. It would be my first priority in your shoes as well. Alright, I’ll take you down the hall. Do you need a shoulder?”

Lewis shifted his weight from foot to foot. His balance felt fine, so he shook his head. “Thanks, but I’ll be alright,” he refused.

Mitch nodded and crossed the room to the doorway before turning and waiting for Lewis to catch up. Standing had been one thing, but walking took more exertion than Lewis had anticipated, so he found himself shuffling slowly out of the room.

He leaned against the wall as they made their way down the hall, but found a bit more energy once Mitch gestured into another room with an open door.

It was quite similar to the one Lewis had just left, and Sophie was sprawled flat much in the same way he had been. Her neck was propped up with a pillow and bandages had been wrapped around her skull. Her eyes were closed and her posture limp, and she was being watched over by a lanky woman leaned against the wall. Her skin was like coffee grinds and she wore her curly hair up in a bun with a few wisps frizzing out. She eyed Lewis with a raised eyebrow as he entered. He assumed this was Sara.

“Figured you’d find your way here eventually. She hasn’t woken yet. You’d best learn to be more careful on the road, you hear? Your reckless adventure could have ended far worse than a good bump on the head and a fracture.”

“We weren’t joyriding,” Lewis protested softly so he wouldn’t disturb Sophie. “We were cut off. A truck cut in front of us and clipped the side of the van. I swerved away to avoid a bigger collision and lost traction.” He kept his suspicions about being purposefully run off the road to himself. Sophie was in no fit state to leave in a hurry and he didn’t want Sara and Mitch to think they were trouble. “Is she alright?”

Sara pursed her lips and made a somewhat disapproving noise before nodding. “She’s lucky. There was physical trauma, but it seems to be mostly external. She’ll have a headache for a while and might be a little disoriented and dizzy for a few hours, but she should be fine so long as she doesn’t try to do much too quickly, and avoids any further head trauma, of course.”

Lewis dipped his head in understanding. “Thank you,” Lewis expressed. “For everything; we would have been in a lot of trouble without your help.”

“Yes,” Sara agreed with a quirked brow. “You would have been. Now she needs to rest, but you can sit with her for a while if you like. No heroics if a problem arises; holler. I’ll be down the hall.” Sara didn’t wait for a response before she turned and exited the room. Lewis pursed his lips to keep from chuckling in front of Mitch. Sara came off as strict, impatient, and blunt, but she had tolerated and aided them thus far, so Lewis decided he liked her. He owed them both his gratitude.

Mitch began to laugh and he clapped Lewis on the shoulder. “Love, right? You got the look about you. Sara’s a little like cactus fruit, prickly on the outside but with a sweet center. What’s she like?” He nodded in Sophie’s direction.

Lewis sighed. “Perfect…and too hard on herself.”

“Well, good thing she’s got you then,” Mitch replied. “I’m going to go help Sara with getting something to eat ready. A late supper is better than none at all. It’s further down the hall and to the left if you need anything, alright?”

Lewis took a deep breath and nodded. “Thank you.”

He moved to Sophie’s side. There was a chair beside the bed, so Lewis pulled it closer with his good hand and sat down with a sigh. He still felt winded and dizzy, but at least they were both alright. He felt a surge of guilt scald his throat like acid as he stared at her. She was visibly bruised along one arm and the side of her face, and thick bandaged wrapped snuggly around her head and smooshing up her curly hair at odd angles. She looked frail like this – though he knew she was anything but – and it broke his heart to see her in this state. He reached out and took her hand in his own and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I’m sorry, Soph,” he whispered. “I should have been more careful.”

At least the rise and fall of her chest was steady, her breathing deep. Sara had mentioned the likelihood of a concussion, but no severe brain damage. Her body was probably just sleeping off the shock, but Lewis was desperate for her to open her eyes so he could know for sure that she was alright.

Despite his hopes, Lewis sat by her side for what felt like an eternity with no true response from the woman he loved. He was starting to feel drowsy again and wondered if he should just put his head down on the corner of the bed so he wouldn’t be ragged when Sophie finally did rouse.

He rose shakily from the chair and awkwardly adjusted the thin blanket draped over her body. He tucked it in more around her sides and tugged the lip up closer to her collar bone the way she liked. It was a shaky process – he wasn’t used to using just one hand for things – but he managed to accomplish the task without jostling her too much. Still, Sophie was usually a very light sleeper – he imagined she’d trained herself into the habit of rousing at the slightest disturbance after Katie came to live with her – and when she didn’t so much as stir, his heart sunk further. She truly was down for the count and it made him worry all the more for her wellbeing.

Finally, he plopped back down in the chair and brought his hand to his head. His headache hadn’t subsided and was only growing worse. He shifted, pushed the chair out a little further, and leaned against the bed to put his head down.

Sophie was still sleeping deeply and he began to wonder if perhaps part of the reason was her body catching up on what she’d been depriving it of for the last few weeks. She’d been barely sleeping or eating and had been fretting a lot. She needed to rest, he only hoped that would help her recover more quickly. He’d felt rather useless to her lately. After being unable to help Katie and unable to keep Luna hidden, and now being a partial cause of their accident – he still blamed the reckless truck driver, but his hasty reactions hadn’t helped – and he only hoped that she was going to be alright now. “I’ll make it up to you,” he promised her in a hushed tone. “We’ll fix all of it.”

He took another breath and finally closed his eyes. He was no good to her when his head was spinning and he felt ready to topple over. As soon as his eyelids slid shut, Lewis’ body felt incredibly heavy and he found himself drifting off once more.

***

“Lewis?” Sophie’s voice was soft and slurred, but it snapped Lewis awake instantly. When he sat up, he saw her with a hand shielding her eyes, blinking blearily. “Lewis, what happened?”

“Sophie, you’re awake,” he breathed. “Thank goodness. Are you alright?” He rose carefully and moved closer to sit on the side of the bed and leaned partially over her. He imagined the light was as blinding for her as it had been for him, and wanted to block some of it from her face.

“My head hurts,” she complained with a wince. “I…your arm,” she broke off with a frown and he shook his head.

“It’s fine, Soph, don’t worry. I’m just glad you’re awake. I was really worried…you hit your head really hard, there was blood, I just…”

Sophie lifted a shaky hand and cupped his cheek. “It wasn’t your fault,” she whispered. He hated how well she could read his self-guilt. “But I hope you got the plate off the bastard that hit us because I’m going to rip them a new one.”

Lewis chuckled and shook his head. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. “I’m sure you will and I’ll help. Do you want to sit up?”

“Please,” she agreed. He gripped one of her arms with his good hand and slowly pulled her up. Her breath whistled between her teeth as she sat up, and her free hand remained pressed to her forehead.

“Too fast?” he inquired.

She slowly shook her head and the muscle in her jaw feathered as she clenched her teeth together. “No. No, I’m okay. Just a little woozy is all. Lewis, where are we?”

Lewis frowned. “I’m not entirely sure. I was knocked out too. I woke up in the other room. There’s a couple here; Mitch and Sara. Sara is a nurse and she’s tended to both of us now, but I have no idea how we got here or why we weren’t just taken to a hospital,” he admitted.

Sophie’s brows furrowed and she chewed on her lip for a few moments. Lewis waited patiently for a response; she had to be feeling a bit scrambled right now, all things considered. He certainly still was, and he hadn’t suffered a head injury. “I think I’d feel better knowing a bit more. I suppose we owe them our thanks either way.”

Lewis caught Sophie by the arm and held her back as she tried to get further upright. “Soph, I’m concerned too, but I don’t think you should be trying to get up that quickly. You have a concussion and you were unconscious for quite a while. You need to take it easy for a bit.”

Sophie’s frown morphed into a scowl and her jaw tightened while one brow raised. “We’re not exactly in a secure situation right now. I won’t sit here in a stranger’s home without any answers as to how we got here or who our hosts are,” she growled in a sharp tone.

Lewis tried not to be offended by how sharp she was being. She’d been under a lot of stress as of late, and the situation had stretched even her good nature to its breaking point. Sophie was usually the trusting type who would show kindness first and pass judgement later as necessary, but Lemuria had burned them all fairly viciously for that sort of thinking. And to top it off, she had to have a killer migraine if his own brain ache was anything to go off of.

He took a breath and embraced her. She was tense in his grasp so he tightened his one-handed hold and began rubbing her back. Her weight was against his bad arm, but he ignored the pressure and the tingles of pain that pulsed through the limb. “I’m scared too,” he admitted. “But your health is more important to me right now. I’ll go down the hall and ask some questions, but you have to promise to lie back down and wait here for me, alright? I don’t want to risk you fainting trying to exert yourself too soon.”

Sophie remained silent and rigid against him for just long enough to convince him she was going to lash out and argue, but then she relaxed in his embrace and returned the gesture. He felt her weight shift to take the pressure off his arm, which he appreciated immensely. She shook her head against his shoulder. “Just stay here,” she caved. “Please. If you won’t take me with you, then stay. Someone will have to come to check in on us eventually and we can get answers then. I-I need to not be alone right now.”

Lewis continued to rub her back and he twisted his head to press a kiss to her cheek. “I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered. “I promise.”

Sophie squeezed him as he spoke and he winced as it jarred his arm, but he didn’t dare pull away. The small twinge of pain was worth being close to her. “Good. Because I never want you to leave my side again.”

Lewis’ heart thumped sporadically in his chest as he held her close. Her frizzy red locks were tickling his nose, but he relished her warmth as she cuddled up against him. She made it seem like it was going to be a burden to remain close, but there was nothing that made him happier. He kissed the crown of her head and nervously shifted his weight. “Soph?”

“Hmm?” she murmured.

He was glad she seemed a little bit more relaxed now, and it was rare that they got a calm moment to themselves these days, so he hoped he wasn’t about to screw it all up. “I know now is probably not the best time and I promise, when things settle down and we get a better moment, I’ll do this properly; how you deserve, but…” he broke off to take a nervous breath and then continued. “When this is all over and things settle down…will you marry me?”

As he felt Sophie stiffen in his embrace, worry gnawed at his gut like a wild dog on a bone. They were in a highly stressful situation and it was more of a selfish request, but he wanted her to know that he _wanted_ to be there with her, always. He reluctantly loosened his grip as she sat up. Her brilliant green eyes were sparkling with moisture. At first, he worried he’d distressed her as the first tear dripped from the corner of her eye to slide down her cheek. It was followed by another on the other side, and then they began to flow freely, but a smile spread on her lips and she nodded.

She leaned forward again and her fingers clenched in his shirt as she pulled up closer to her too so that she could kiss him. He happily returned the gesture. “Yes,” she gasped when they broke apart for a moment. “I will. I will, but…Lewis? Katie and Riley have to be there, okay? I-I can’t do that without them, I won’t. We have to sort everything else out.”

Lewis nodded. “I want them there too,” he agreed. “I want our family together. But I need you to know that I’m all in, Soph. You girls are my world and that’s never going to change.” He pulled her close again. “Besides, I’m not going to miss the opportunity to see you try to wrestle Riley into dressing up.”

Sophie burst out laughing as he spoke and she shook her head. “I’ll never get her in any sort of dress, you know that,” she laughed. “But maybe we could convince her to wear a bowtie or something.”

Lewis snorted at the thought as he pictured it. He knew that if Riley did give them a hard time, it would mostly be in her mischievous playful nature and just to be difficult.

“It’ll be perfect,” Lewis agreed and he bowed his head to kiss her again.

“You’re both up then, good.” Sara’s sharp voice echoed from the doorway and made Lewis jump. He heard Sophie suck in a breath as they pulled apart and both turned to look at the woman hovering in the open doorframe. “How do you feel?” she jerked her chin in Sophie’s direction.

Sophie coughed and cleared her throat, and pushed herself up a little better on the bed. “Like I was hit by a truck.” Lewis shook his head at her twisted attempt at humour. “I imagine I’m going to have this headache for a while, but I’ll be alright.”

Sara nodded and strode into the room. She was carrying a glass of water and a labelless pill bottle. “Take two,” she said as she handed both off to Sophie. Her hand hovered as though she expected Sophie to be unable to hold it.

Sophie frowned and set the water aside to uncap the pill bottle. She shook two of the red tablets into her hand. They had a dark A branding on them and were easily recognizable. It was probably the only reason Sophie lifted one to her lips. Lewis winced. He’d known Sophie a long time now, and he’d never seen her physically struggle with something more than she did trying to choke down a pill. She took a sip of water and sputtered a little.

She seemed to get it down in record time for her, but her face was all scrunched up and she shook her head as she repeated the process with the other one. “Thank you,” she gasped finally. She took another drink from the glass before setting it down on the small bedside table. “And thank you for all of your help, but I do have some questions.” While her tone expressed her gratitude, Sophie wore a hard expression. Her brows were dipped together and her emerald gaze shone with a cold shimmer not unlike the gemstones they resembled. She met Sara’s similarly clinical gaze with unwavering attention.

Lewis wasn’t entirely certain what sort of silent battle was going on between the two women, but Sara was the first to cave with a dip of her head. “That’s reasonable. If you’re feeling well enough, we should get you up and down the hall for something to eat. It should help the both of you perk up a bit more and we can talk then.”

Sophie pushed herself up further and curled her legs close. Lewis was watching her carefully and saw when her eyes rolled in her skull. She shook herself and blinked rapidly. “I…I think I’m going to need a hand,” she admitted.

Lewis reached out and curled an arm around her back. “Put your arm across my shoulders,” he instructed softly. Sophie looked like she wanted to protest, but he shook his head and she complied with a sigh. Her grip was loose, but it tightened to clench his shirt desperately as he slowly pulled her up. She stayed upright, but her legs were shaking and he was taking the brunt of her weight. He didn’t mind though. “I’ve got her,” he assured Sara when he caught her looking skeptical.

The woman pursed her lips and then merely turned and began leading them further through the house. It was once again a slow-going process to get himself and Sophie into the dining room, where he carefully lowered her into a chair. Sophie’s eyes were squeezed shut and while he wasn’t sure if she was in pain or just woozy, he kept a hand on her back until she reopened them and smiled fragilely. “I’m okay,” Sophie assured him. “Thank you.”

He reluctantly stepped back to give her a little space to breathe, but pulled out the chair beside her and sat down so he could grab her if she happened to topple over. For the moment, she seemed relatively stable, however.

Sara took a seat opposite them at the table and a moment later, Mitch entered with steaming bowls of stew for the four of them. Sophie and Lewis both thanked him as he handed them the food.

He shrugged and waved a hand. “Don’t mention it. It’s just something light; I imagine after today neither of you is going to feel up to a large meal. Just eat what you can.”

Silence stretched between the four of them for several minutes afterwards, with only the clinking of metal spoons against ceramic bowls to disturb the silence. The soup itself was quite tasty, but as Mitch had predicted, Lewis had very little appetite and could only bring himself to pick at it.

It was Sophie who finally broke the silence as she put her spoon down and folded her arms on the table. “What happened?” she inquired. “And who are you? If you found us after the accident, why weren’t we taken to a hospital?”

Mitch shook his head. “We didn’t find you. You were brought to us.”

“I don’t tend to ask too many questions when I’ve got a couple of patients who are unconscious and battered from a car wreck. We had no idea what sort of injuries the two of you might have had. Thankfully they were minor all things considered, but it looked worse initially,” Sara added.

As they spoke, a feeling of dread began to squeeze at Lewis’ gut. He exchanged a look with Sophie that indicated she was just as concerned. “Who was it?” he asked.

Mitch shrugged. “I don’t know them personally, but we’ve worked before helping people who want to avoid mainstream medical care. Are you two criminals or paranoids?”

Lewis shook his head. “Neither,” he replied. He glanced at Sophie again. She looked queasy, but he wasn’t sure if that was entirely fear-based or if her injuries were getting to her. Either way, it didn’t feel right that someone wanted them away from an official hospital where there would be paperwork and records of the admittance. It didn’t feel like Lemuria’s direct tendency since Lewis would expect them to have simply dealt with Sophie and himself among their own ranks, but it was still unnerving.

Lewis cleared his throat and shakily rose from the table. “Thank you for all of your help, it’s greatly appreciated. But Sophie and I were in a hurry before the accident. Would you mind allowing me the use of your phone? I’ll call a friend to pick us up and we’ll get out of your hair.”

Mitch stood up as well, but instead of offering to show Lewis to a phone, the man merely smiled grimly and shook his head. “I’m sorry, mate, but I’m afraid it’s not that simple. Your situation is far stickier. As I said, we’ve offered assistance to people who need it and don’t have access to more official healthcare routes, but that comes at a price. We work directly with a few organizations and one of them is particularly invested in the two of you. We don’t want to stir up any trouble, so I’m afraid you’re not allowed to leave.”


	57. Timer

There had been much longer stretches of time they’d been separated for before, but to say that Katie missed her mom and Lewis was a massive understatement. She was lying on her belly at the bottom of the pool with her tail stretched limply out behind her while her fingers tapped absently at the tiled floor of the basin. Her gills were working fine, but each breath she took was lazy; an afterthought she only remembered once her chest began to tighten at the lack of oxygen.

Everything had erupted into chaos once Lewis was discovered missing and then got worse when they learned her mom was gone too. The volunteer had been dismissed. Katie had felt a little guilty that he’d gotten fired after he’d been kind to them, but she knew they’d made the right decision. Her heart still ached when she thought of Lukshia, but the woman had taught her one very valuable lesson; the safety and well-being of her family had to come first now. They were in too precarious a situation to take risks on strangers.

It seemed like Lewis and Sophie had successfully gotten away. They hadn’t been brought back and nothing had been said, and the Lemuria workers were still rushing about like a disturbed hornet's nest. She was glad they’d gotten out safely, but she missed them terribly, especially now that she didn’t know when she’d ever see them again.

Dr. Auldon had come in not long after. She had never seen him more furious. He was red in the face and though he didn’t yell, his voice had been laced with so much venom that Katie still felt sick to her stomach. As much as she wanted to be brave and fully intended to fight this time, he still terrified her. Luna had been in an even worse state. He’d wanted to know where Sophie and Lewis had gone, but they’d all made sure not to know so that the information couldn’t be pried from any of them.

He’d interrogated Katie first. Asked her the same questions in as many different ways possible in a clinically cold tone that had sent shivers up and down her spine. She only had the same answer to give him, even when he’d pressed her to speculate where they might have gone. Katie could think of a place or two that Lewis and her mom had talked about in the past that she would try, but she kept the information to herself.

When he’d gotten nowhere with her, he’d turned on Luna, who had nothing new to offer him, but he’d been just as emotionally rough with her until she had been reduced to tears and Ixion had interrupted.

After that, the man seemed to lose a lot of steam, but he still had a staredown with Riley, who’d merely raised a brow and shook her head as he regarded her. He’d asked if she could track them and she’d merely shrugged and refused to indulge him further. Katie still admired her resolve. Riley had her weaknesses and she felt pain and fear like the rest of them, but in the face of intimidation, she only seemed to grow more bolstered and brazen. Unless Dr. Auldon was prepared to go to war with her physically, he’d get nowhere, and he hadn’t been willing at that moment, because he’d left them not long after that.

He hadn’t left them alone, however. Katie tilted her gaze toward the surface where she could see a shadow falling over the pool. Dr. Auldon had placed two guards in the room with them. Both were impassive and hadn’t spared them more than a passing glance, but each had a cattle prod and one also wore a tranq gun strapped to his back.

So far it seemed as long as they didn’t make any sudden or aggressive movements and stayed relatively quiet, the guards just stood by the wall and ignored them, but Riley had already made the mistake of getting too close and had narrowly dodged the prod that had been jabbed at her.

It was an incredibly tense atmosphere and none of the Mer felt the need to converse in English now that Sophie and Lewis weren’t around to require a translation. Katie was getting better, but it still felt strange to be the only thing she was being exposed to; the guards weren’t chatty.

Ixion had taken Luna into the water first. Katie wasn’t great yet at reading emotions, but even she could taste the tension rolling off her younger sister. She was now curled up against Ixion’s side and while Katie doubted she was sleeping, Luna was quiet and still. Karina and Nero were still in the smaller tank – Dr. Auldon had taken one look at them and then ignored that breach of his previous rules, to Katie’s surprise – and Rebecca was still above the water, waiting and watching. Everyone was anticipating Karina’s labour any time now.

Katie had stayed up for a while, but then the tension had gotten too much for her as well, and she’d sought refuge at the bottom of the pool to be alone with her thoughts.

She sighed and smacked her lips so she could watch the large bubble that popped away from her lips as it fluttered towards the surface. It was easier for boredom to creep in when she was feeling down, and the quiet was beginning to feel suffocating. She dropped her chin down onto her folded arms and closed her eyes. She was familiar with homesickness from the last time Lemuria had separated her from her home and family, but it felt twice as powerful now. Katie bit her lip and tried to take steady breaths so that she would not begin to cry.

She was wrapped up in her wallowing, so when a hand fell on her back, it startled Katie out of her wits and she barely managed to muffle a shriek. The new sail on her back flared in response to her surprise and she heard the sharp, wet, ripping sound as it tore the shirt she was still wearing open. It then connected with something soft and meaty before the hand caught it and held it still. Katie’s heart was hammering in her chest as she twisted onto her side to see Riley hovering above her.

The blonde was no longer holding onto her sail, but she did have a hand pressed to her reddening cheek. There was a twist of a grin and a wince on her features.

“I am sorry,” Katie apologized. “I did not mean to hit you. Are you alright?”

Riley chuckled and nodded before dropping her hand away from her face. “I am fine,” she agreed. “I have merely learned a lesson about sneaking up on you now.”

“Not to do it?” Katie inquired.

Riley shook her head. “No; to dodge when I do.”

Katie scoffed and swung her tail. Riley ducked under the violet appendage and popped back up with her tongue between her teeth. Katie shook her head. “You’re terrible.” At least, that was what she intended to say. Instead, her voice jumped painfully in her throat and a shrill squawk left her lips instead.

Instantly, Riley’s face scrunched in on itself and she brought her hands to her ears. Ixion glanced over with a frown creasing his lips and brow, and Luna’s head shot up and she looked around in confusion.

Katie felt her face flush and she hunched lower to the ground with her cheeks feeling like they’d been lit on fire. “Sorry,” she called timidly. Contractions and other certain words and terms didn’t exist in the various oceanic languages, so whenever she tried to use them, her voice darted away from her and strained her throat. It was painful to hear as well. She knew this already, but speech habits were hard to break sometimes. It was just another thing she was having to adjust to.

“I was not even trying to sneak up on you,” Riley complained. “I do not feel I deserved _that._ ”

“I am sorry,” Katie sighed. “I did not mean to. It is hard to remember sometimes.” She bowed her head and picked at her thumbnail.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Riley sink down beside her and curl her tail beneath her. She leaned forward and placed a hand on Katie’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “I was only playing, Katie. I did not mean to upset you. You are adjusting really well.”

Katie shrugged. “I know you were only joking…I guess I am just not in the mood right now,” she admitted. Her heart still ached and she chewed on her lip. She didn’t want to start crying again. Not in front of everyone, not to Riley. The other girl was sweet for caring, but Katie hated appearing so weak around all these Mer who were survivors. They knew how to fight and hunt and take care of themselves, and she already felt like a burden on them, she didn’t want them to start thinking she needed full-time coddling too.

But Katie couldn’t read emotions or hide them, and Riley seemed an expert at both sometimes. The blonde wrapped her arms around Katie and hugged her tightly. At first, Katie thought it was just to offer comfort, and she tried to squirm away until Riley’s grip tightened to a desperate cling. “I miss them too,” Riley whispered against Katie’s neck. Her voice now had a quiver to it. “I feel like I just got home.”

Katie clenched her jaw and brought her arms up to squeeze Riley back. “I know the feeling,” she admitted. “I was so certain I was never going to see them again, that coming home was everything to me. Now it just feels like a toy on my emotions. The separation is worse this time.”

Riley didn’t respond, but Katie felt her shiver under her hands and her heart went out to Riley. It seemed like she’d anticipated always being alone. Finding a place with them probably meant as much to her as it did to Katie, and while Riley seemed to hide her pain better, Katie wasn’t surprised that she was hurting too.

“We will find them again, right?” she prompted.

Riley extracted herself from the embrace and dipped her head. Her frosty gaze was glistening with sorrow, but there was still a flicker of her ever-present determination. “Yes,” she agreed. “We will deal with our current situation, and then you and I will hunt down our family again.”

“Katie?” Luna’s voice was soft, but it still carried through the water and Katie leaned sideways to meet Luna’s gaze from behind Riley. “Is everything okay?” Luna asked once they could see each other.

Katie took a breath and nodded. “Yes,” she replied. “Everything is fine; there is just a little bit of homesickness going around. Try to get some rest, okay?”

“Okay,” Luna caved. Katie watched her settle herself back down against her father’s side and close her eyes, but Luna still seemed tense.

Ixion’s gaze was fixated on the younger girl, and his features were gaunt with sorrow. He glanced back up and momentarily met Katie’s gaze, so she raised a hand. She curled her fingers close to her palm and then stretched them out into a splayed position before drawing them back in again. Then she jerked her chin in Luna’s direction.

Ixion didn’t immediately react. He was silent and stared at Katie with furrowed brows. When his attention shifted back to Luna, he seemed to realize because he lifted a hand and placed it on his daughter’s head. Luna’s eyes flicked open as he did, but as soon as he mimicked the motion Katie had made, Luna’s eyes rolled back in her head and her eyes slid shut once more. She wiggled once and then a deep purr began to emanate from her as her father massaged her skull.

Katie smiled. Luna was a ball of stress and anxiety most of the time, but she had a few magic buttons that could be pressed and this was one of them. She loved having her head rubbed and Katie had taken advantage of that many times over the last year to soothe Luna out of a panic attack or get her to sleep.

There was a content smile on Ixion’s features now as he repeated the motion and Luna’s purr grew louder. He shifted so that his tail was draped over the base of her fin and his tail tip curled up so that his fins were shading her side and belly. She looked so tiny next to him, curled up in the coils of his scales, but Katie knew it was mostly because Ixion was a larger Mer and Luna’s growth had been stunted. She looked younger and smaller than she was, and it contrasted sharply. But Katie imagined Luna didn’t mind in the slightest. She always seemed to love being held. So long as she felt safe, physical contact was something she craved and Katie couldn’t blame her after all the pain she’d known over the years.

Ixion glanced up at Katie just long enough to dip his head in thanks before his attention returned to Luna. Katie smiled and nodded back anyway, despite knowing he probably wouldn’t see. It was heartwarming to know that Luna’s parents cared for her as deeply as they seemed to. Luna was going to need a strong support circle to get through this and heal from everything that had happened.

Riley leaned closer to Katie. “Does that actually feel good? It looks like it should tickle and itch.”

“It does not seem to bother you to have your spines rubbed,” Katie countered.

Riley sighed and brought a hand to one of the metal cuffs still locked around her arms. “I suppose not,” she agreed. She rubbed over the bracelet and then looked away, allowing her hand to fall into her lap as she did.

Katie didn’t appreciate the sight of the bands either. It felt wrong. She bit her lip and then shifted so that she was almost shoulder to shoulder with Riley. “Here, find out,” she offered.

“Wha-hey!” Riley protested as Katie tangled her fingers in her hair. “Do not…oh…actually, maybe just a little more,” Riley caved as Katie began to rub her scalp. She scratched her nails gently over Riley’s head and Riley began to hum with content. “I suppose it does feel nice,” she agreed.

Katie continued the scalp massage until Riley was slumped against her and murmuring happily under her breath. Katie couldn’t help but laugh. “I guess the truth comes out,” she taunted. “The rough and tough warrior is actually just a big softie; how cute!”

Riley growled playfully and ducked out of Katie’s reach. Her hands came up to pat her hair back into place before she fixed Katie with a glare that only made Katie giggle harder.

Riley huffed and lunged. Katie’s laugh morphed to a cry of surprise as she found herself pinned in a headlock against Riley. Her tail lashed and she squirmed, but she was in a bad position to get any leverage to strike out, and Riley was a lot stronger. “What was that?” Riley inquired.

“I said ‘you are cute’, like a little puppy begging for attention,” Katie laughed. She tried to twist from Riley’s grasp, but it only tightened. She wasn’t choking Katie, but Riley was holding her firmly.

“Is that so?” Riley hummed. Katie felt the other girl shift, but when Riley’s free hand began to tickle Katie’s sides, she jumped and couldn’t stop the squeal that ripped from her lips.

“Riley, no!” she protested as she tried to wrench herself away. She was laughing hard enough to feel breathless, and it was a strange sensation while breathing water. Bubbles were shooting from her gills, but no matter how she wiggled, she could not break free, and Riley was merciless in her assault. “Okay, you win!” Katie wheezed. “Let go, stop it,” her pleading was strangled by more laughter as Riley continued to tickle her. “Mercy.”

The assault finally halted and Katie fell limp in Riley’s grasp as she tried to catch her breath. “That was cheating,” she complained.

“Aww, what is the matter, Katie?” Riley teased. “No fun on the receiving end?”

Katie hissed grouchily in response. “Says you,” she threw back. She couldn’t keep the grin off her features as she spoke, however. “I was being nice!”

Riley scoffed and Katie tensed when she saw Riley’s arm move again. Instead of tickling her, however, Riley placed her hand on the scaled arm running down Katie’s back. Her fingers landed right where the scales met the skin of Katie’s back and her new sail flared at the sudden contact. Katie wrestled with it for a moment to get it to lie flat once more, and in that time, Riley began to rub over that spot where Katie’s back and sail connected.

It was like a shock of static electricity that shot through Katie’s body. An instant later, she found her entire body falling slack and a hum began to build in her chest. It felt like ripples of pleasure were shooting along every nerve in her body and soothing an itch she didn’t know she had. Even she could taste the smug glee radiating from Riley and she wanted to protest and pull away, but she couldn’t make her muscles respond. It felt incredibly good and her hum deepened into a rumbling purr.

“Now who is the cute one?” Riley teased.

Katie couldn’t even muster up a verbal response and only ended up humming with further content. It made Riley laugh heartily. “Feels nice,” Katie finally murmured. She had to bite back a whine when Riley stopped and finally released her hold on Katie.

She reluctantly sat up and flared her new sail. She was getting a better feel for how it moved and worked, and she opened and closed it a few times before settling it back down against her spine. She shook her head and shoved down her disappointment as the sensation faded away. “Wow…we are not actually hard to subdue as a species, are we?”

Riley grinned and shrugged. “If you know how, then no, I suppose not. But you would not have been half as relaxed if you were not already comfortable and trusting around me. Our instincts would overpower any pleasant physical sensation if you were truly in any danger.”

“That is good to know at least,” Katie agreed. “Why does that feel so good?”

Riley shrugged and opened her mouth to reply, but then paused. Katie frowned as Riley’s attention jerked towards the surface and her jaws parted wider. “They are coming back,” she reported before she pushed off the bottom of the pool and swam back up into the air. Katie hastened to follow her.

As soon as she broke the surface, she knew what Riley was talking about. The doors to the room swung open and two people strode in. One was a woman with a buttoned lab coat and dark hair pulled into a tight bun. She was carrying some towels in one arm pressed to her chest and had a bucket in the other. The sharp tang of fish cutlets permeated the air and made Katie’s mouth water. She hadn’t had much of an appetite and her stomach was now reminding her that she needed to eat at some point.

Behind the woman was a bald man with an open white coat and a simple pair of well-worn jeans and a maroon sweater underneath. He was wheeling in an ultrasound machine.

A bitter taste spread across Katie’s tongue as she watched them. These two had been in and out consistently through the day, hauling Karina out of her shared space with Nero to look at the baby. Karina was being far more tolerant of their presence, and Katie knew it was out of hope they wouldn’t separate her and Nero, but the constant jostling and attention looked like it was beginning to take its toll. Karina’s every movement was lethargic and she looked weary and small against Nero, who was keeping her in his arms as much as possible. She’d picked at the food they left for her, but Rebecca had been saying that more than anything, Karina needed to sleep. She needed to be well-rested if she was going to have a successful birth, and these veterinarians – or whatever they were – were interfering with that. Rebecca had tried to tell them that the second time they came in, but they hadn’t so much as reacted to her speaking. It bothered Katie how easily these Lemuria technicians seemed to find pretending the Mer couldn’t talk, but there wasn’t much Katie could do about it.

The woman set the bucket aside and began unfolding two of her three towels on the floor, one on top of the other, while the man began setting up the ultrasound machine.

Katie glanced around at the others. Rebecca was glowering at them with her teeth bared. Katie understood her fury; she was the one meant to be helping Karina through her pregnancy and not only was her patient being put under frequent duress, but she had been reduced to little more than an informant that was barely listened to. Dr. Auldon had seemed open to everything she’d had to say on the pregnancy matter, so Katie couldn’t understand why his underlings were behaving this way.

Once they were situated, the woman rose and stepped up to the tank. The lid was still secured on, but she lifted it with ease.

Within, Karina and Nero both had pained expressions. Karina hugged Nero tightly and nuzzled him with her cheek before carefully pulling free from his grasp. The wide fins growing from her chest had gotten even darker and had noticeable veins standing out along them. She had them wrapped tightly around her chest as she swam slowly to the surface.

“That’s it, good girl, Willow,” the woman praised as she dipped her arms into the water to grab ahold of Karina. These two had been using the names engraved on each of their collars the entire time and Katie had resigned herself to being addressed as Bailey for the foreseeable future. Karina slumped in the woman’s grasp as she hauled her out of the tank. A moment later, she was setting Karina down on the towels and pushing her into a reclined position. Karina turned her head away and closed her eyes. Katie had heard about the first ultrasound she’d had, and how Lewis had worked to ensure it was a positive experience, but these two seemed to have sucked any joy Karina could have gotten out of it.

“You have to stop this,” Rebecca growled. She lashed her tail and bared her teeth. “Can you not see that she is on the verge of giving birth? She needs to rest and you are only wearing her out.”

Neither of the vets so much as looked up from their tasks, and Rebecca’s growl deepened into a snarl. She pulled herself forward and one of the guards stepped between her and her path to Karina. He had the prod out in his hands and waved it threateningly in her face. Rebecca pulled back in surprise and then her growl returned.

“Rebecca,” Karina coughed and shook her head. “Please, no. I do not want anyone to get hurt or things to get worse. It is okay.”

“You are exhausted,” Rebecca protested. She slipped back into a language the Lemuria workers wouldn’t understand to match Karina.

“Please,” Karina begged.

Rebecca sighed and shook her head, but pushed herself further back away from the guard.

Katie glanced between them all, but no one seemed to make a move for further conflict. The female vet was currently drizzling blue-green gel over Karina’s swollen belly.

“Hey Bridget, Willow’s losing scales,” the male vet reported as he pulled the lid of the tank shut, sealing Nero back in. He barely seemed to notice. He was fixated on Karina.

“What?” the other vet looked up from her task.

The man shrugged and gestured into the tank. “There’s a bunch of orange scales on the floor. Think she might be getting sick like Bailey was?”

Bridget shook her head. “Dr. Auldon reported that was a fluke unique to Bailey. It wasn’t contagious or something the others could come down with.”

“Well, there’s a lot of them. How’s her tail look?”

“Solid,” Bridget replied. “She’s probably just been shedding over the past several days, Markus. They used to have to pull Bailey’s and Suzie’s scales from the filter all the time.”

“These weren’t here two hours ago,” Markus replied. “Don’t the females have scales on their torsos too?”

Bridget frowned and Katie watched her return her gaze to Karina. “I can’t see, these fins are in the way. They’re getting really dark now. Let’s get a look then, just in case.”

Karina looked distinctly uncomfortable as the woman began trying to pry her fins away.

Rebecca hissed in frustration. “Just show them, Karina,” she growled finally. “The sooner they get this over with, the sooner you can rest. I am worried for you and it is not like they are going to listen to us.”

Karina’s face coloured and she chewed her lip, but then her fins rippled and opened away from her body.

Katie blushed and averted her gaze. Karina still had plenty of scales around the top and bottom of her chest, but she’d lost most of the ones in the center and it felt wrong to stare at her when she was exposed. Katie’s own scales had finally grown most of the way back, which was good because Riley’s scare earlier had ruined the shirt she was wearing.

After a moment, Karina refolded her fins and looked away.

“They nurse their young,” Bridget reported. “She’s fine. It looks like her body is just preparing for the baby. I don’t think we’ll have much longer to wait.”

“We should check on the fetus then,” Markus replied as he made his way around Karina’s other side. Her face was blocked from view as he crouched down and began to swirl the ultrasound wand through the gel on her belly. Karina wouldn’t be able to see the screen, but Katie could from her position.

Despite how horrible their circumstances were, it was still an amazing thing to see. Karina’s infant was nestled in her womb. It was a little hard to see against the black and gray shadows on the picture, but it looked like it was ready to be an actual baby, held in someone’s arms. It was curled up, with its fins by its head, but it was twitching. Little fingers were clenching and unclenching from fists and every few seconds, the tail jerked and jostled, and Katie could see the impression of the heartbeat going fast and steady in the center. She couldn’t tell if the infant was male or female, but she did know they were beautiful either way.

“The baby is much more active this time,” Bridget reported. “It definitely won’t be long now. This is going to be amazing. No one’s ever witnessed a mermaid birth before.”

Katie rolled her eyes. Plenty of people had witnessed Mer giving birth before. Most – if not all – just weren’t human. She continued watching the ultrasound. She didn’t like how they were treating Karina, but she was incredibly curious about the baby.

It was amazing to watch the unborn infant move within Karina, but then the image changed. It flickered and expanded before condensing. Karina’s tailfins jerked and shuddered and a strange salty-sweet smell filled the air. It faded quickly, but a barely muffled whimper whistled from Karina and then the picture jerked away as she shuddered and rolled to her side. Her tail lashed and Katie could see blood, diluted in a thick clear fluid rushing down her scales from midway down her tail.

Karina’s whimper became a shrill cry of pain and her tail jerked spastically once more.

“Karina!” Nero called. He lurched forward against the glass with a heavy thump.

Rebecca shook her head and hissed. “No, not now.”

“Oops, Willow, what are you doing…” Bridget trailed off and then her hand reached out to wipe some of the fluid off Karina’s tail. “Markus…I think we’re going to witness it now,” she reported.

Instead of replying, the man leaned forward and slid his arms beneath Karina’s quivering body. She cried out as he lifted her, and he grunted as her tail flailed again. He nearly stumbled under her weight as he carried her. Katie thought he was going to bring her to the water, but instead, he lowered her onto the cot still left there from Riley being on it earlier.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Bridget inquired. “Shouldn’t we get her back into the tank?”

Markus shook his head. “It’ll be easier to tend to her out here. Besides, labour can take a while and this is a unique opportunity. Get the ultrasound over here. We can observe the entire process for future reference.”

Nero snarled at them and smashed his tail against the glass as Karina’s agonized scream filled the room. She shuddered and flailed her tail once more.

“Easy, Shade,” Markus called. “Don’t worry, bud, we’re going to take good care of her…What an odd name choice for this pair, huh? Willow and Shade? What do you think they’re going to name the baby? Root? Breeze?”

Katie frowned as the man worked himself into a chuckle. Bridget merely shook her head. “I’m not sure, but we should focus on what’s going on right now.”

Karina cried out again.

Rebecca, who had been dragging herself closer, finally seemed to hit her breaking point. “Put her in the water!” she shouted in English. “You are going to listen to me this time because I am done being peaceful; what you are doing is going to kill her and the baby. They need the water. The baby cannot be born in the air!”

Likely attracted by his mate’s shouting and Karina’s cries, Ixion broke the surface in front of Katie and hauled himself out of the water just in time for Rebecca to lunge at one of the veterinarians.

One of the guards reacted just as quickly and jabbed her away with the end of the cattle prod. It sparked noisily and Katie gasped as Rebecca cried out. She hit the floor heavily and winced as she pushed herself upright. A nasty-looking burn was blistering along her shoulder and she clapped a hand over it and gritted her teeth against the pain. The smell of burning flesh rose through the room. The guard stepped closer and was still fiddling with the prod as a warning.

Ixion’s thunderous growl made Katie cringe. He was by Rebecca’s side in a heartbeat. He put on arm over her so that he was covering her and glowered at the guard with his tail lashing. Ixion was not someone Katie wanted to mess with.

“Touch her again and your shock stick will not be enough to prevent me from ripping your throat out,” he roared. Though they’d been pretty stoic up until now, Ixion had spoken English and the guard actually took a step back. It didn’t take him long to recover and maintain his composure, though he made no move to further antagonize Ixion.

Ixion had bowed his head to fuss over Rebecca, who waved him away. Her voice was terse as she chirped to him. “I am fine. But Karina…” she broke off as another wail from the pregnant Mer cut her off.

Nero was throwing himself against the glass at full force, and while it was holding up, for now, the tank was shuddering and each thump sounded more brutal than the last. Katie was certain that he would succeed in breaking through it eventually.

“Why is Karina doing that?” Katie asked Riley as she watched Karina buck her tail again. It seemed like a heavy weight to be throwing around at the moment, and she wasn’t accomplishing hitting anyone or anything, it just seemed like it would tire her faster.

Riley’s eyes were wide as she turned back to Katie. “It is how Mer give birth, Katie. I am not sure how humans do to compare, but Mer must swim their infants out. It is the thrashing motions of our tails that guide the infant from the womb to the water. It is exhausting, so there is a small period when a Mer can successfully give birth before their energy wanes. They are wasting what time Karina has. Her weight above water will only sap her strength faster.”

“Markus, I don’t know if we should have her above the water. Willow’s been pretty calm for us and she’s far from settled now. Maybe we should just let nature take its course; we’re not really equipped to extract the baby properly and…”

“This is what Dr. Patron wants,” Markus shrugged. “For us to observe and report in as much detail as we can about the birth. She’ll be fine, look,” he pointed to the screen Katie now couldn’t see. “The baby is already moving into the birthing canal. You know he wanted to be here himself.”

“Katie…” Katie turned when she heard Rebecca call her name. She was glad they had a means of conversing that Lemuria couldn’t comprehend because none of them reacted when her name was called. Katie pulled herself out of the water and over to Rebecca and Ixion.

Once she was close, Rebecca continued speaking. “Katie, you know this place, yes?”

Katie dipped her head. “I grew up here. Why?”

“If Karina is not taken to the water, she and her baby are going to die. Successful birth without the water is impossible, and on instinct, she will expend her energy until her heart fails to try to save her baby.”

“They are not going to listen to me either,” Katie sighed. “If Dr. Patron has ordered this…”

“You must go find the other scientist,” Rebecca urged.

“Dr. Auldon?” Katie inquired.

“It is not easy for us to move around on land, but you know this place better than the rest of us. He is the only one of them now that seems at least willing to acknowledge that we speak, and he was prioritizing the safety of the baby before. Even if we attacked them, we cannot get her safely down from there and into the pool, and she is going to need Nero with her now.”

Katie nodded. “I can try, but we are also under watch now,” she reminded.

“Do not worry,” Riley stated. Katie jumped and turned to find Riley pulling herself over. “Those two scientists would not notice you now if you turned rainbow and began to glow. They only have eyes for that screen of theirs. I can bait the guards long enough if you go quickly.” Riley puffed out her chest and grinned smugly.

“Be careful,” Katie urged. “They mean business with those prods.”

Riley scoffed and waved a hand. “They have to tag me with one first,” she countered.

“And you will have help,” Ixion agreed. He nodded at Katie. “Go now.”

Katie rolled onto her belly and hauled her weight up onto her arms as she began to drag herself along the floor in a wide skirt around the guards towards the door. She’d gotten a lot stronger since her transformation, but it was still hard work dragging herself across the floor.

It took less than a heartbeat for Ixion and Riley to cause a ruckus. They growled and snapped at the guards’ heels and lurched out of the way of the prods. They’d successfully diverted the attention of everyone in the room and Katie was able to reach the doors and quietly push her way out.

The halls she once called home now felt like a prison and Katie’s heart was hammering in her chest as she dragged herself further down the hall. Though she would never leave without the others, this felt like a poorly planned escape attempt and while she was surprised how easy it was to leave their ‘pen’, she couldn’t help fretting being caught at any moment. With any luck, she’d run into someone from the park who might be in a position to help. She’d never met her mom’s new manager, but surely the employees from her childhood wouldn’t simply stand by and watch this all happen. While she didn’t want to put anyone else at risk, she knew she would take the chance if it presented itself to her.

It felt like an eternity before she managed to drag herself to the end of the quarantine hall. These floors were not smooth like the wood of the cove house. They were tiled and rough and harder to drag herself across. She was panting and paused long enough to wipe the sweat from her brow before she shouldered her way through the double doors.

She wasn’t sure where to find Dr. Auldon, she just had to hope that the first person she ran into wasn’t someone who would react poorly and not listen to her.

She made her way down further until the first intersection and real choice. One way led to the admin offices, the other out towards the public science center. She wasn’t sure which way she was more likely to find Dr. Auldon.

Katie paused to think about it for a moment. She hated to delay, but a wrong choice would take too much time to backtrack. Then she remembered. She may not be very good at it yet, but Mer seemed to be excellent trackers, and she had been around Auldon enough to discern him from the dozens of people who probably walked by in a day. She closed her eyes, took a breath, parted her jaws, and inhaled.

Just like the last time she tried it, it was a sensory overload, and she winced. She took another breath and forced herself to focus. All the different scents of sweat and chemicals, deodorant and shampoo, and mud and raw fish made her head spin, but she finally managed to sort out the scent she was looking for.

Reopening her eyes, she grimaced and turned left before continuing her slow but steady pace across the floor.

***

Katie’s arms were shaking and the center halls were desolate, she hadn’t run into anyone. She was beginning to lose hope, convinced that maybe she’d misunderstood the smells around her and gone the wrong way. She couldn’t stop thinking about Karina and how poorly she had to be doing.

But Katie knew she couldn’t give up. If she did, Karina was going to die. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to keep going.

After a few more minutes, and she was rewarded with the sound of voices, though it made her heart pound in her chest.

Dr. Auldon did round the corner though, and he was alone. He was focusing on a clipboard, but he noticed her pretty quickly and frowned. He gazed around and sighed. After lowering the clipboard, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “If this is some sort of attempt to run off, Katherine, it’s an incredibly poor one, though I am impressed you got this far.”

Katie shook her head. “I’m not…trying…to escape,” she puffed. “I was trying…to find you.”

“Find me,” he repeated with a quirked brow as he stared down at her. “Why?”

Katie sucked in a breath and forced herself to continue speaking despite how winded she felt. “Karina’s in labour,” she reported. “And your damned goons have her up on a gurney trying to use the ultrasound to watch the birth progression from the inside. They won’t listen to Rebecca when she tells them that Karina can’t give birth out of the water, and your guards are no help with the matter. We didn’t know what else to do.”

Katie felt desperate tears burn her gaze as she stared at him. He still frightened her and had been so angry the last time, and if he refused to step in…She bit her lip and watched as his frown deepened with a fury that made her cringe. He was silent for a moment before he set the clipboard aside on a stack of equipment boxes.

“Alright,” he sighed. He stooped down and reached out towards her. “Let’s go.”

It felt weird to be picked up by him, much less willingly, but Katie sighed with relief that he was going to help and reached out to grab ahold of him as he lifted her off the floor.

As they made their way back, Katie could only desperately hope that there was still enough time for Karina to safely give birth to her baby.


	58. Labour

Nero’s heart was hammering in his chest and every nerve in his body was screaming at him to _move_ as another agonized shriek ripped through the room. Karina was pale and wide-eyed and her chest was heaving. She had been flailing so much that the humans had strapped her down to the gurney and now she would barely move. She still strained against them and weakly flapped her tail, but Nero could see in her face how tired she was growing. Her strength would not last much longer.

He was grateful that Katie was taking the risk to find help, but he could not help wishing she would be swifter about it. Karina was looking incredibly poorly and he was feeling genuinely powerless to help her.

The humans in the white dressings still hovered over her with their machine and the little display stick pressed to her belly. Karina had initially tried to push it away, but her hands were now secured at her sides. She was sweating and her fins were limp, and her breathing was coming in ragged bursts. The guards were still in a tense staredown with his father. His mother had already been incapacitated. They had shot her with their long dart gun and she was slumped against the floor with her eyes rolled into her head and her fingers occasionally twitching. Riley was currently hunched over her with her gliders spread and a vicious snarl marring her features.

There was saliva running down her chin as she kept her long fangs bared and mock-lunged at anyone who took a step too close. His father was still dodging the shocking stick they were jabbing at him to keep him at bay, but Nero knew he was merely distracting them from noticing Katie was gone. Luna was at the surface of the water, hovering out of range with tears in her eyes and her hands over her mouth. Nero hated that his young sister was being put through so much stress once again.

Everyone he loved and cared about was in this space and at risk, and his body thrummed with desperate energy to fix it. He shuddered and threw his weight at the glass once more. The tank shuttered, but he bounced off it once more. The next blow had enough force that the knockback flipped him head over tail, but it still was not enough. He could not get the speed or leverage necessary in the small space and he hated that they had closed him in.

He had adhered to Karina’s wishes for brokered peace with the humans, and it had seemed an unspoken agreement that if he remained calm, they would not bother him or rip him from her, but they had violated the agreement by taking her now and putting her in danger. He despised them for it and if given the chance, would spill their lifeblood across the floor until they were little more than dried husks.

Karina wailed again and her body shuddered. Her tail flapped up into the air and she quivered once more before her cry died into a series of small whimpers. Her fingers clenched into fists and she shook her head. “Nero!” she called desperately.

Nero struck the glass again, twice, with as much force as he could muster into a full-body blow until the world spun and he was forced to back off for a moment to recover. “I am here,” he replied as he pressed his palms to the clear barrier separating them. “Just hold on, Karina. Katie will find aid. You and the baby will be fine, please just stay strong,” he begged. Nero’s heart felt fractured into many tiny pieces and his gut clenched. She was trying, she was fighting, but her strength was ebbing. He could see it, sense it, and if they did nothing, she would die. He could not lose her. He was not prepared to lose her, not now or ever. “Please,” he whispered.

He bowed his head and it thunked against the glass. He could not get to his mate, and her life now depended on a man who was holding them all captive, who was part of the reason it was even in danger now. He did not even know if it was already too late, if she would have the strength to give birth at all, even if they got her to the water.

He had only known her eight of his twenty-five cycles, but he felt like it had been longer – a lifetime – for he could no longer even imagine a time without her and he could not bear the thought of a lifetime more without her. He needed her. Even before he had known her, he had needed her, needed someone to understand his heart and want it regardless.

He still remembered the first time he had met her. He remembered there was pain and confusion, and his vision had been blurry, and dark around the edges, and he could barely see. He remembered the muffled voices of her grandmother grumping at his injuries and her hushed questions spoken softly so she would not be shooed away.

The first time he had seen her, she had been little more than a blur of brilliant colour. His disoriented mind had been convinced the sun had a voice and was hovering directly over him. When she had finally come into focus, he remembered just how bright and beautiful her smile and her personality had been. She always kept him company, even if he was barely conscious most of the time in the early turns. He would open his eyes, and she would almost always be there.

A friendship had blossomed out of shy conversations and existing in one another’s company. He had cherished every word, every smile, every touch. He still did. Still could not believe sometimes that she had chosen him in return, that she had decided to wake next to him every morning and curl up together every night, or that they were going to have a baby. He had never imagined in all his thoughts and dreams that he would ever find someone to love, someone who understood him despite how awkward and mumbly he was in his youth.

They had been through so much hardship and heartache together. Her pain was always the greater, but Nero had loved her family dearly as well. They had accepted him and shown him great kindness. He had owed them his life and after the tragedy, he had sworn to himself that no matter what else happened, he would keep their daughter safe. He would cherish everything about her for the rest of their lives and never forget the Mer that made his greatest happiness possible.

But now, she was in pain, alone and afraid, and surrounded by strangers who viewed her as little more than an oddity. They did not care for her or seem to care that she was dying slowly before them, for they made no move to help her. He could not get to her and it was crushing him because she needed him. She was at her most vulnerable, trapped in a moment he was meant to be there for, and they were separated so he could do little more than call out to her.

“Markus…the baby’s not making any further progress and Willow’s not looking very good,” the female white-dressed human reported. “We might have to go in and extract the infant. Maybe we should try getting her into the water. I don’t think this species comes to land to birth their young, this is probably too straining on her.”

The man – Markus – shook his head. “Those weren’t our instructions,” he argued.

“Our instructions weren’t to let her die either!”

“Actually, Dr. Patron has decided that’s an acceptable risk. If the mother passes, the infant can still be extracted and nursed artificially. It’s not ideal, but if it’s necessary to learn all that we can, it’s what will happen.”

Nero’s mouth was wide as he glowered at the back of the man’s head. An acceptable risk? They truly were just oddities. Pretty pebbles fished from the sand to admire and discard at their leisure. Nero beat a fist against the glass and hissed furiously. What they were doing was wrong and sickening, and going to cost him his mate and child. It was wrong.

He was not the only one to feel this way, apparently, because Riley cleared her throat loudly. She had managed to drag herself over to their feet and was now arched into a threatening pose with her gliders half spread and her fingers clenched into fists.

As soon as she made a sound, both of the humans hovering over Karina spun to look at her. Both took a nervous step back and looked uneasy at her aggressive posture. “You agitated, Carmen?” Markus inquired with a cluck of his tongue. Riley’s response was to growl low in her throat and flex her gliders. “Come on, let’s get you back with your friends, silly creature.”

He carelessly reached towards her, seemingly for the collar wrapped around her neck. Riley’s growl deepened and grew louder. The man’s peer swatted his arm. “Don’t do that!” she scolded. “She’s obviously aggressive right now, don’t antagonize her needlessly.”

“She won’t bite,” Markus scoffed. “She knows better, knows there would be trouble.”

Nero snorted. He was not sure Riley ‘knew better’ about anything. She did what she wanted and felt was best, regardless of consequence.

The woman bit her lip and then pulled the man back away from Riley just before he could reach any closer.

“Bridget!” the man exclaimed.

“Just leave her!” Bridget shouted back. “We have more important concerns and you’re being excessively bullheaded for no reason. These are wild animals that feel threatened. Just leave her be.”

“No,” Riley snarled in English. “Do not ‘leave me be’, heed me. I am not agitated, I am far past that and desire blood. You should know that if she dies,” Riley jerked her head up at Karina. “I will make sure you follow her. Get her in the water now or I will find out if ripping the throat from a human is any different from gutting a fish.”

“Please,” Karina coughed before either of them could respond to Riley’s threat. Her broken English was even more afflicted by sobs, and fat tears were streaking down her cheeks. It spurred Nero to smash himself against the glass once more. “I-I want…to live,” she gasped. “Nero…should not have…to raise our…baby alone. I want to be…a mother…to…know my baby is safe. Please, I-ah,” Karina’s desperate pleading warped into a strangled scream.

“Karina!” Nero called. He slammed himself against the glass again. Her cry rose to a whistling pitch that had everyone, Mer and human alike, wincing and covering their ears. Nero’s heart pounded in his chest as he threw himself at the side of the tank over and over in a desperate attempt to reach his mate.

Bridget frowned and shook her head. “I can’t argue with that, Markus,” she protested. “I won’t.”

“Argue with what?” he growled back at her.

She scowled at him in response. “This is ridiculous.”

“They’re animals, Bridget, and our instructions are not to acknowledge any of their…sounds.”

Just as Markus had begun to speak, the doors to their room had opened. The man had his back to them, so he did not see when the other scientist walked in with Katie in his arms. By the time he finished speaking, Dr. Auldon’s frown had deepened and his brows dipped together. “I don’t remember ordering that,” he announced.

It was almost satisfying to see how Markus physically started at the statement. He whirled around with wide eyes like a small child caught getting up to mischief, but then he closed his mouth and lifted his chin as though trying to be intimidating. Nero did not think it was working very well. “With all due respect, sir, you didn’t,” Markus agreed. “They were Dr. Patron’s orders.”

“Is that so?” Dr. Auldon replied. He quirked a brow and stepped further into the room where he crouched to set Katie down beside Riley. Nero watched him take a quick survey of the room. “It looks like you two have managed to make a mess of the entire situation and you’d better both hope it’s not too late to clean it up. I instructed you to perform check-in ultrasounds to ensure the continued health of the infant because the mother has been under a higher than ideal level of stress. I also was very specific that I was to be informed if she went into labour. Would you care to explain to me how you managed to fail so spectacularly at one of two instructions, and how it led to this mess?”

Markus lifted his chin higher. “I was following Dr. Patron’s express orders, Dr. Auldon. I’m afraid if you disagree, you’ll have to take it up with him.”

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “Dr. Patron is incapacitated in the hospital for all his expertise has managed to get him. He’s no longer leading this expedition and if the mother – quite possibly one of our most valuable assets right now – dies, it’ll be on your heads. And I see the four of you have also managed to cause a commotion and incapacitate the one mermaid with any medical knowledge on their birthing process,” he snarled. “Bridget, go down the hall and fetch a reversal agent for the sedatives. We need June up and moving as quickly as possible, so be snappy. Markus, just go stand in the corner and stay out of the way; you’ve done more than enough damage.”

Markus was red in the face, but he seemed to know better than to argue because he stormed off. Nero growled at him as he passed the tank. He turned back in time to see Dr. Auldon nod at one of the guards. “Get the male out of the tank and into the pool, please,” he requested.

Nero was eager to be out of the tank and hovered near the surface while he waited for the guard to get the lid off and lift him out. He kept a watchful eye on Karina as he waited. Dr. Auldon had stepped up to her and while they were depending on the man to help her, it still made him uneasy to have any of the humans close to her. Dr. Auldon picked up the stick the others had been using on Karina and pressed it to her belly. She whimpered and flicked her fins, and Nero barred his teeth.

The man patted the crook of Karina’s arm with his free hand and swivelled the stick lower on her abdomen. “Easy there, I just need to get a look.” He was silent for several heartbeats and then he set the stick aside and began unbuckling the restraints keeping Karina secured down.

Nero had to look away from them when the guard finally got the tank open and began cautiously reaching in towards him. Nero was not a fan of being picked up or handled, but in this instance, he was so eager to be free of the tank confines and get to Karina that he practically leapt up into the guard’s arms.

The man seemed startled by the action because he grunted and nearly toppled backwards off the wooden rock they had to raise themselves high enough to reach into the tank.

Once the guard regained his balance, he began carrying Nero over to the water, but Nero twisted in his grasp to keep an eye on his mate. Karina looked poorly and his heart squeezed in his chest. Her body was wracked with shudders and she was whimpering past gritted teeth while tears made steady tracks down her cheeks. The scientist was helping her slowly sit up when Nero lost sight of them as the guard pitched him free of his grasp and into the water.

Nero twisted around and broke the surface once more. Now that the earlier conflicts had been subdued, his father was crouched over his mother with concern etched across his features. He looked up when Nero resurfaced and his storm gray gaze glittered with further worry and unspoken inquiries. Nero nodded. He was worried for Karina, terrified that it was too late. She did not look like she had the energy left to swim, much less give birth. But he refused to give up, no matter what it took. Karina meant the world to him and he was not going to lose her without a fight.

Dr. Auldon had gathered Karina into his arms and was walking her over to the pool. She was slumped against him, breathing raggedly, with her hands pressed to her belly and her expression warped by tense creases and a clenched jaw.

As soon as the man crouched down, Nero was reaching up to take her from him. Karina did not hesitate to reunite, but she slumped so weakly into Nero’s embrace that his gut squeezed. “Karina?” he inquired.

“Nero,” she whistled back as he situated her in his arms. “I am so tired. It hurts to move.”

He hugged her and kissed her brow, and then shifted so that he could help her stretch out in the water. “Karina, I know you are tired, but you have to swim.”

Karina’s soft brown gaze was shimmering with sorrow despite being half rolled back in her head. “I do not know if I can.”

Nero cupped her face in both his hands and brought their foreheads together. “You have to. Please, Karina, I _need_ you. I am here, I will swim with you, help you, but you have to move your tail and you have to do it now,” he begged. He pressed his lips to hers, but she barely reacted.

“I am sorry,” she whispered. Her tail bobbed in the water, but it was far from enough. She was spent and the humans had robbed her of a proper fighting chance.

“Karina, please,” he pleaded. He pulled her down under the water with him and ran his fingers along her neck to make sure her gills opened. Being under the water seemed to rouse her a bit, because her eyes reopened and she squirmed a bit, lashing her tail once before beginning to fade again. If she could give birth successfully, there was still a chance for her. She would just need to rest, but Nero was not sure how much progress the baby had managed to make, if any.

There was a splash above him, and then Riley was beside him and laying a hand on his shoulder. “Nero?” her voice was choked with concern and it felt like a smashing blow to his heart. If Riley could see it, it was more than an overprotective fear. Karina was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it. “I-I think I have an idea,” Riley continued. “Just…do not attack me, okay? Help her. Karina, I am sorry about this.”

Riley ducked down around Karina’s side and nipped her on the hip, right where her scales blended with her skin. Karina whimpered and stirred from her stupor slightly. Riley swam over Karina to her other side and nipped at her again.

This time, Karina yelped and her tail lashed. Nero had to squash down a furious instinct. He knew what Riley was doing and he was grateful for it, but it was hard to suppress the need to protect his mate from a potential assault.

Riley continued weaving around Karina, smacking her scales and nipping at her sides. Each action made Karina’s tail lash and her chest was heaving, her eyes wide with panic. Nero knew she was just delirious, so he kept his hands in hers and swam backwards slowly to keep close. She was lashing her tail now, and any time she started to slow, Riley was there to keep motivating her. It was dangerous, Karina was exhausted and Riley was draining her last reserves by abusing the instinct to escape an attack, but it was her only chance now, so they had to take the risk.

As they swam, Nero’s dorsal brushed a wall of the pool. It was annoying to be confined like this, because it was hard enough keeping Karina moving, much less trying to maneuver her in the smaller space. He carefully turned her, but as he did, he wound up pinning Riley between the wall and Karina’s thrashing tail. His cousin tried to duck out of the way, but the tip of Karina’s sunny tail whacked her in the face.

“Are you alright?” he called to her as he pulled Karina away from the wall so Riley could swim free. His cousin had pressed a hand over one eye and her lips were warped into a grimace, but she nodded. “Sorry, I should have warned you first.”

“I am fine,” Riley replied. She dropped her hand, though the area around her eye was red and swelling, and she kept it shut, but she grinned and did not hesitate to dive back into the fray.

They kept at it a while longer and Nero’s heart began to ache. Karina was bleeding lightly from the various bites – though he knew Riley was trying to be gentle – and while she kept moving, her body was beginning to shake. He did not think she could keep it up much longer.

The surface of the water rippled around his mother as she dove into the pool and lashed her tail to join them. Nero was glad they had managed to get her up and he hoped desperately that she would know what to do to help.

She wasted no time swimming directly under Karina and placing a hand on her belly. She was silent for a moment and then nodded as she dragged her hand down Karina’s tail. “You are doing well,” she murmured. “Karina, I know you are tired, but you must give your all now. You are almost there.”

“Rebecca… I am so tired,” Karina whimpered.

“I know. You have done so well, Karina. I promise you can rest soon, but you have to swim a little more.”

When Karina did not respond, Nero leaned in and rubbed his nose against hers. “You can do it,” he urged.

His mother sighed and shook her head and turned to Riley. “Do what you have been, but latch to her scales,” she instructed. “If Karina tries to throw you, it might just be enough. But watch her tail. Do not let go until you see a burst of blood. She will need space then, so swim clear.”

Riley nodded. When his mother gestured, Nero reluctantly released his grip on Karina’s hands and moved back, despite how her panicked whine stabbed at his heart. Her hands fumbled for his for a moment, and then she began to sag. Riley moved quickly and lunged for Karina’s tail, closer to the base of her fin, and bit down. Her tail curled around Karina’s for better balance, and Karina yelped in shock and fright.

Though he knew he could not interfere, Nero’s instincts screamed at him and he barely stopped himself from hurtling after Riley until his mother grabbed him firmly by the dorsal to hold him back.

Karina’s motions were weak as she bucked her tail and tried to dislodge Riley, who growled threateningly. It was just a show, but it worked because Karina began to flail and jerk in the water. Her teeth were clenched and she had her arms wrapped around her middle while shudders wracked her body. Nero ground his teeth together and his tail stirred the water as he watched the tussle. He was so afraid for his mate. She had endured too much already and should not have to endure this level of risk too.

Time felt slow as Nero watched the scene play out before him. It felt like an eternity between each beat of his heart, so he could barely breathe when he watched a massive shudder ripple through Karina’s entire body. She heaved her tail down and a plume of blood clouded the water around her. Riley immediately let go and darted away, and Nero longed to hurry to Karina’s side, but his mother still had a firm grip on his back.

Karina thrashed once more and then ducked in on herself. The water began to clear as the red dispersed, and Karina was still in the center of it. She had folded her arms up close to her chest, cushioning the undersides of her fins, and her tail looked like a torn, ragged mess that was still bleeding slowly, but there were no more shudders and the swelling around her middle was caving in. Nero felt a surge of fresh hope. She had done it.

When Karina’s head lolled and she began to sink, Nero ripped free of his mother’s grasp and darted to her side. He scooped her up into his arms so that her head could fall against his chest. She looked worn dry and she coughed weakly, but a smile touched her lips. “Nero,” she purred.

Nero leaned in to nuzzle her cheek and he hummed happily. He was so relieved that she was alright. “You did it,” he murmured. “I am so proud of you.”

Karina’s shaky purr deepened and she lifted a quaking hand to cup his cheek. He leaned into it and the rumbling in his chest grew stronger.

“I love you,” he told her. “You should eat something.”

Karina hummed in agreement, but then she leaned her head back against him and closed her eyes. Her hand fell away limply back into her lap and she sagged with a shudder. She was still breathing, so Nero was not too concerned, but he shook his head.

“Alright, rest first,” he agreed. He swam back over to his mother and Riley, and could not keep the smile off his face. He was curious, but that would have to wait until Karina woke and recovered. She would keep their baby safe in the meantime, and he would protect her in turn.

His mother was smiling brightly and she nodded at him. He returned the gesture and then turned to Riley. “Thank you.” Her eye was still swollen shut and beginning to darken, and he was incredibly grateful that she had jumped in to help the way she did. Karina would have died without the rapid aid.

His mother leaned close to Riley to inspect her eye. “You are not cut, just swollen,” she reported. “It should be fine in a turn or two. That was very smart thinking on your part, Riley. The birth would not have been successful had you not taken the actions you did. I am proud of you.”

Riley beamed and puffed up her chest a little under her aunt’s praise. “I am just glad it worked,” she admitted. “I was not sure it would.”

“Nero, take Karina to the far side of the pool and hunker down. I do not know what expectations Lemuria may have for us now, but we will deal with it. She needs to rest and will be better with you close,” his mother instructed.

He dipped his head and left them to find their way to the surface while he dove for the furthest corner and settled in. Karina muttered something under her breath as he shifted her to the tiled floor and pulled her close but otherwise did not stir.

“Is she okay?” Luna’s voice was quiet and hesitant as she spoke.

Nero looked up to see her hovering close. He had forgotten she was still in the water, had been the entire time. The display had probably frightened her witless if she was only just approaching now. He understood her concern and waved her closer. “It is okay,” he assured her. “You can come and sit if you like.”

Luna chewed her lip and then plopped down next to his tail. He brushed his fin against her arm and then returned his attention to Karina. Her breathing was deep and even and though she was weak, her heartbeat was strong, and when he parted his jaws, there were no unhealthy scents from her or the baby. Just a new, sharp and sweet tang. He was not sure if this scent was strong just for Karina and himself, but it was a wonderful taste that made his heart stall in his chest. It was a smell of new life and it was breathtaking.

He glanced back at Luna and nodded. “They are both going to be fine.”


	59. All Out Assault

After such tense several hours, Katie now didn’t know what to do with herself. She was still shaking from the anxiety and horror of what had happened - and of what had almost happened – that now that it had passed, she felt that nervous energy had nowhere to go. Things had settled down to a nearly unbearable quiet. Nero had taken Karina deeper into the water to rest and – last Katie had seen her – Luna was laying with them.

Dr. Auldon had lingered for a while and asked Rebecca a bunch of questions about the baby, to which the emerald scaled woman had adamantly insisted they would know nothing until Karina woke and that she was not to be disturbed in the meantime for the sake of her health and the infant’s. He’d seemed displeased by the deep frown lines that had creased his forehead and the corners of his mouth, but he had dropped the matter not long after.

It had been rather satisfying to see him chew out the male veterinarian that had been unnecessarily cruel and pigheaded about Karina and even the woman had received a harsh scolding. They’d both been sent away – along with one of the guards – and the remaining guard had been posted on the outside of the door instead. No one else had been in since, which was a relief because Katie did not think she could handle any more stress for the moment. She was feeling too overwhelmed as it was.

The other Mer had all gravitated to the depths of the pool, but Katie found herself lingering at the surface. Her stomach was pressed flat to the tiles with her tail draped over the side to swish lazily through the water while she played with the little rivets of water splattered across the floor. Dr. Auldon had seen the arm of her new sail – which she was keeping carefully pressed to her back as much as she could because the membrane was sensitive and tickled constantly in the open air – and had requested a closer look. It had made her nervous to allow him near it – and she did not necessarily feel she owed him anything – but after he had come to Karina’s rescue, she didn’t feel much like inciting another argument. But other than running his fingers down the scales and pulling the arm up just enough to see some of the membrane, he’d left her alone.

She’d been worried he would take the new limb a lot worse, so it was a relief to be left alone with relatively little hassle. Now it was just nice to have a moment to her thoughts. She was still feeling antsy and heartsick, but she needed the breather. The other Mer seemed to sense that because they were leaving her be.

Or at least, they had been leaving her be. Her moment of silence was ruptured by a sharp squeal that ripped through the room only seconds before Luna burst from the water and clung to Katie’s back. It startled her and she yelped in response as she was dragged under the water by Luna’s weight. She shook herself as her gills opened and she recovered from the unexpected shift from air to water.

Luna darted behind her and before Katie could ask what she was doing, she flung her arms up and flinched as Riley nearly barrelled into her. The other girl managed to pull up short before they collided, however, and then stuck her tongue out. “Katie cannot save you, Luna,” she taunted before diving around Katie’s side. Suddenly, she had the two Mer circling her in a game of chase. It was a little dizzying.

“Help!” Luna squeaked between giggles as she clung to Katie’s shoulders and wrapped her tail around Katie’s torso.

Riley shook her head. “She cannot aid you,” she reminded as she came around yet again. Luna released Katie once more and darted towards the other side of the pool. As Riley rushed past her, Katie lunged and dragged her into a headlock. She knew she had next to no chance to beat Riley in a tussle, but she was suddenly consumed by the desire to join their game and forget her misery for a little while.

“You are picking on my little sister, you know,” she mocked as she glared down at Riley. The blonde’s grin only widened and her eyes narrowed with the challenge.

“Is that so?” she replied with a low growl. Her tail lashed and she twisted her head. Katie felt her teeth graze her arm and she pulled back with a cry of surprise. Riley hadn’t actually made any move to bite her, but the motion had worked and Katie’s instincts had screamed at her to pull away.

Riley stuck her tongue out and took immediate advantage of Katie’s recoil to retaliate. She dropped her weight on Katie’s back, wrapped one arm around Katie’s throat and her tail around Katie’s before dancing her fingers along the sides of her ribs.

Katie could not contain the childish squeal that burst from her lips as she squirmed and writhed. She was far more ticklish since her transformation than she had ever been when she was young, and she hated that Riley was taking advantage of that as frequently as she had been.

“Katie!” Luna cried as she came charging back through the water to tackle Riley. The breath whooshed from Riley’s lungs in a jet of bubbles in Katie’s face as she was ripped halfway off Katie’s back. Katie turned to see Luna scrabble for a hold. Her fingers managed to catch in Riley’s hair and grab her by one ear. Luna pulled and Riley made an awkward gagging noise as she was dragged away.

“Rotten move,” she complained as she tucked her body forward and whapped Luna on the top of her head with her tail. It worked to loosen Luna’s hold and the young Mer immediately pulled away to swim off again. She seemed to know that her best shot was outdistancing Riley. But it seemed as fast as she was, Riley was still more experienced and was easily able to gain on her. So, when Luna came racing back around the circumference of the tank once more, Katie grabbed hold of Riley’s fins as she swam by.

“Are you really picking on a child?” Katie teased.

Riley flipped to stare her down with a quirked brow. “Believe it or not; she started it.”

“Actually, I would be inclined to believe that; she has got a mischievous streak too,” Katie agreed. “But that does not change the fact that you are picking on someone what, four years younger than you?”

“Five cycles, actually,” Riley corrected.

“You are eighteen?” Katie queried.

Riley’s smile faltered a fraction as she pursed her lips and then nodded. “Yes?” she replied with a quizzical expression creasing her brows.

“Just, did not know,” Katie replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

Riley grinned and nodded. “Well, now you do. Now let go,” she ordered with a mock growl. She lashed her tail and shot off, pulling free of Katie’s grip easily and lurching after Luna once more.

Luna had ducked behind her father, who was sitting lazily in the corner of the pool. Katie imagined she was trying to hide, but she’d done a poor job of it and seemed to realize that as Riley approached. Her cackling laughter echoed through the water as she took off again.

As Riley twisted to go after her, however, Ixion reached out and grabbed the base of her fins with both hands and yanked her back. Katie watched Riley’s sly grin morph into a shocked frown as she twisted to stare at her uncle. “Uncle Ixion?” she inquired.

Ixion tilted his head to one side and smiled at her in a rather eerie way. He gave her another tug closer and then pinned her to the floor of the pool by shoving her down and draping most of his body weight across the back end of her tail. Riley squeaked and squirmed. She pressed her hands flat to the floor and appeared to be straining to haul herself free. It didn’t work and Katie couldn’t help laughing as she watched the other girl struggle.

Ixion whistled sharply between his teeth and Luna pulled to a halt across the pool. When Ixion inclined his head towards Riley, an impish grin spread across Luna’s face and she was back by her father’s side in a heartbeat.

Riley waved a finger at Luna and bared her teeth in warning. “You had better not,” she hissed, though she did not sound truly angry. Luna stuck her tongue out and then flopped her weight down on Riley’s back and earned a solid ‘oof’ for her efforts. “Get off!” Riley complained as she bucked and strained against the joined effort.

Unable to resist, Katie swam over and sunk down so she was sprawled on the floor in front of Riley. She crossed her arms on the ground and rested her chin on them. “Comfortable?” she inquired teasingly.

Riley growled and her eyes narrowed. “That is not amusing. Assist me!”

Katie shook her head. “No way, not after how you have been picking on me. You deserve this,” she stated. She glanced at Luna and grinned. “Get her,” she decided.

The impish smile on Luna’s face grew wider and she flipped around to begin tickling Riley’s sides. Riley snorted – a weird puffing sound accompanied by a slew of bubbles – before she began to laugh and writhe. “No! Luna, stop it!” she howled. “When I get free, I am going to pluck your scales, you wait and see.”

Katie chuckled and Riley’s glare whipped to her as she continued to squirm. “You will be next,” she threatened.

Katie shrugged. “Then I suppose I had better make it worth my while,” she decided. She swam around Riley’s other side and joined in Luna’s assault. Riley’s ability to speak was lost to a storm of laughter as she wiggled and twisted under their combined efforts. Katie could not stop laughing either and Luna looked incredibly pleased with herself.

Finally, Riley began to wheeze, so Katie eased off and gestured at Luna to do the same. “Alright, let her breathe,” she urged.

Luna sat back on the butt of her tail and smiled brightly as they both waited for Riley to catch her breath.

“Rotten cheaters, the lot of you,” Riley grumbled when she finally found her words again.

“Oh, do not be bitter,” Katie threw back with a laugh. “You are just annoyed because your pride is bruised. You were more than happy to pick on us.”

Before Riley could respond, Ixion planted a hand on her head. “I am going to let you up now,” he stated. “If you threaten my daughter again, I will squash you the next time.” His tone was light, but there was a growl beneath that made Katie think perhaps he was serious.

As soon as his weight lifted, Riley squirmed free and huffed. “It was hardly a threat,” she argued. “Besides, she is more than old enough to know that tugging fins is a bratty thing to do and I was well within my right to retaliate.”

Katie’s brows creased together and she frowned as she switched her attention to Luna. “You were tugging her fins?” she inquired.

Luna stuck her tongue out and shrugged.

“You really are evil,” she teased.

Once again, Luna shrugged.

Riley growled at her and opened one glider to cuff Luna over the head. Luna started to laugh, but Ixion cleared his throat and Riley froze. “You should not defend her like that,” Riley grumbled. “It is going to her head!”

Katie laughed and shook her head. “Right, because you definitely do not have an inflated sense of ego at all,” she shot back.

Riley’s gaze narrowed once more and she stuck her tongue out. “No one is protecting you,” she reminded.

Katie only laughed harder.

“Be that as it may,” Rebecca cut in as she approached and placed a hand on Riley’s head. “And loathe as I am to break up the fun, I think it best if everyone settles down now. Karina does still need to rest and I am concerned about the noise. And you, do not tug on Mers’ fins and then hide behind others when you face repercussions,” she scolded Luna gently. “It is not polite, and you should not make trouble unless you are prepared to brave the consequences.”

Riley puffed up her chest and nodded. “I was only trying to help teach her,” she offered. “The reactions were uncalled for.”

Luna blew a raspberry in Riley’s direction.

Despite their joking, Katie felt a little guilty. “I am sorry, Rebecca, we did not mean to bother Karina.”

“Do not be sorry,” Nero called. “She has not even stirred. I doubt even a flock of squawkers could wake her now.”

Katie made her way over, though she tried to keep a healthy distance so as not to risk disturbing them. “Is she okay?” she inquired.

Nero’s purple-gray gaze glittered solemnly, but he offered a weak smile and nodded. Katie knew he was not the chattiest with strangers, but she hoped she was not making him uncomfortable. They had not had the chance to speak much as of yet, but he was Luna’s brother and she wanted him to at least tolerate her.

She gazed at Karina. The woman was tucked up against Nero’s side. She was limp and pale, but her gills seemed to be working steadily. “I am sorry I was not faster getting back,” Katie muttered. “I have not really mastered my tracking abilities and I was nearly too late.”

Nero shook his head. “You saved her life. You and Riley both, and you have my gratitude. Karina will recover, she merely needs to rest.”

Katie nodded, but she still was not so certain. Perhaps Riley would have been a better Mer to send. She was stronger, and better at tracking, and would have made it back faster.

Before she could dwell on it much longer, she was tackled to the ground. She looked up to find Riley grinning down at her with her tongue poking between her fangs. “Are you over here brooding again? Because it is bad enough having to stay in this small pool all crowded together like this, I refuse to allow you to stink up the water with your negativity,” Riley teased.

Katie forced a smile and nodded. She pushed Riley up off her as she sat up and nodded. “I am alright,” she agreed. She shoved the dark thoughts away. They had more than enough to stress about without her inventing reasons and she wanted a chance to breathe as much as the others seemed to.

“Good,” Riley countered. “Because I owe you for the tickling.”


	60. Cocooned

It was incredibly disorienting to be this tired. Karina felt as though she had been sucked dry of all her energy as though she were a clam someone had cracked open and slurped the meat out of. She was only vaguely aware of things. The ache in her tail had been brutal initially, but it was now reduced to little more than a dull throb pinching in the back of her mind.

She remembered the fear that had clogged her gills, the pain and the tension and stress, but they felt far away now. They had been followed by the burst of relief when it was over, the joy at the success, and the tidal wave of love that had nearly ruptured her heart as Nero had held her close. She had not been sure she would survive long enough to feel it again.

Now she had very little consciousness, like a final flickering tendril of squid ink being dispersed through the water. She was vaguely aware of many things, but she could grasp no single thought or feeling to hold onto and drag herself back into a state of awareness. She was warm and could feel Nero’s strength and proximity close to her. It made her feel good to know he was near and watching over her. She was aware of the pain and the heaviness still lingering in her body. But she could also feel a new warmth. Hear the steady, rapid thumps of a young heartbeat. They beat clearly through the dull silence in her mind and resonated with her very being. It was soothing to feel the baby nestled within her fins and against her chest. A shared lifeforce that was hers to nurture.

She had not realized it would feel quite this wonderful. She wanted to wake and share that wonder with Nero. But it was so hard. Like drifting through an endless dark sea. Nero had taken her down to a middle zone of the ocean, where it was dark and chilly, but there had been such beautiful drifting lights. It felt like she was back there now, but there was only one bright light, cupped in her fins like a personal treasure she vowed she would cherish forever.

She clung to that sensation. The bright little light snuggled close to her chest. She hummed and finally managed to peel her eyes open. The dark dullness faded, and she was hit with the pain and sluggishness that came with overexerting herself. She remembered very little about her labour now. She had been barely conscious. But her sides throbbed and she vaguely remembered the sharp prick of fangs. She thought perhaps it had been Riley, but she could not fathom why Riley would attack her, so she shook herself and shoved away the presumed hallucination. The girl was bold, but she was not cruel.

Taking a breath, Karina pushed away her aches and pains and blinked a few times to clear the sleepiness from her mind. She was curled up against Nero’s torso and when she looked up, she found her mate sprawled with his tail draped over hers and his face resting on his arm. He was slumbering soundly. She smiled softly. The water around them was very still. It seemed the others were all asleep as well and she had no wish to disturb anyone, so she settled back down and sighed softly. She was comfortable and content, despite the urge to rouse Nero and share her joy with him. He had been through a harrowing experience. She knew how she faltered earlier had to have frightened him terribly. It was better to let him sleep for now.

As she laid her head back down, she felt her infant stir. Tiny fins slapped against her scales and she could feel the baby’s tiny fingers pressing and kneading against her. It tugged a smile to her lips and a hum built in her chest. She kept it quiet so she would not disturb Nero; this was just for the baby.

Karina carefully tilted her fins back just enough to sneak a peek, and she was delighted to see a set of deep brown eyes staring back at her. Her child was awake and aware of her. She did not imagine the baby would be awake long. They would sleep for long periods during the next several turns, but it touched her to have the moment of visual connection between them.

She slowly brought one arm up so as not to disrupt Nero or the baby. Reaching beneath her fins, she cradled the infant and rubbed a thumb over their shoulder. The pale skin was so soft and fragile that Karina could not help wrapping her fins tighter to her body to keep the baby well cocooned. Then she shifted her hand down to the tail. There were no scales – not that she had been expecting any – simply more thin, frail skin. She needed to be careful, but it was just as important to know before the scales grew in.

As she brushed down the limb, the baby’s fins twitched on the end of their tail and smacked against her side. She hummed in response and allowed her hand to fall away. “I would not be too pleased either,” she agreed in as hushed a tone as she could manage. “But every infant is checked so there is no sense making a fuss about it.”

It was silly, she supposed, to try to reason with the newborn Mer, who would not begin to comprehend for several moons yet, but she did want the baby to be comfortable with the sound of her voice. They were going to be intimately connected for a while still.

She winced as her gut twisted into a knot, and she brought a hand to her belly. The previous swelling was all but gone, but it was more than just the lack of an unborn child making her feel hollow. She was famished. Karina chewed her lip and glanced around.

The others were all fast asleep. Ixion and Rebecca were cuddled up back to front with one another, and Karina had to bite her lip to keep from chuckling as she caught sight of Luna sprawled over the top of them. The girl had her head resting on her crossed forearms on the ground, and her belly and tail stretched up over her parents’ tails as she slept sideways on them.

It was cute and it made Karina wonder if her baby would ever do something silly that would make her want to laugh and roll her eyes. There would probably be many moments like that in her future, and she looked forward to each and every one of them.

She let her gaze wander a little further and found Katie curled up in a ball. The violet Mer had tucked her tail up close to her chest and had her arms wrapped around it. She looked small and it made Karina’s heart sink. She was not sure if Katie was lonely or simply having a bad sleep, but neither would surprise her given everything that had happened. They were all stressed, but Katie and Luna had been through the worst of it. But now Katie had lost close members of her family and Luna was making up for lost time with her parents. Karina understood Luna’s desire; she would give anything to have some more time with her mother and father, but it still seemed to leave Katie alone.

At least Riley was close by. She was half curled on the floor and appeared fast asleep, but if either of them stretched they would probably bump the other’s tail. Riley did not strike Karina as the most emotionally engaging Mer, she was a bit coyer and more reserved, but the two did seem to get along well enough and it would probably do both of them good to have a friend right now.

That just left Nero, who Karina was most concerned about disturbing. He had shifted slightly and his tail had fallen to the side, so she should be able to get up without waking him if she was careful. She just wanted to see if there was anything to eat. She rolled over and sat up, and then gazed back down. Nero had not stirred, and she smiled softly as she watched him for a moment. She knew she had scared him. He deserved to rest.

She pushed herself off the floor and took slow, deliberate strokes so she would not rouse him as she swam away. Karina gave Riley a wide berth as well. She had observed how light a sleeper the sandy-tailed Mer was.

It took her a little while, but she crossed the pool successfully without waking anyone. When she was just beneath the surface, Karina parted her jaws and scented cautiously. All the human scents were stale, but it did smell sharply of fish and her stomach rumbled.

Her heart thudded nervously in her chest as she poked her head above the water and looked around. The room was dark and empty. Karina breathed a sigh of relief and flicked her fins to bring her to the edge of the pool. There was a strange white box with a blue lid that was chilled to the touch and smelled strongly of food. Karina tightened her fins around her baby and raised her hands to pull the container closer. The lid was sealed tight and she gritted her teeth in annoyance as she fussed with it, trying to figure out how to get into it without making a ruckus.

As she wrestled with it, a pair of hands grabbed her around the waist and Karina had to clap a hand over her mouth to cut off her startled shriek. Nero pulled her away from the edge and she twisted to face him only to find his eyes blazing. She frowned. “Nero?” she inquired.

“Do not ever do that again!” he snarled in a hushed whisper.

Her frown deepened and her heart stalled. Nero was frightening when he was angry, but there had been very few instances where his anger had been directed at her, and never like this. She chewed her lip. “I do not-”

She was cut off as he pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. It made the entire moment even more concerning until she heard his heart hammering in his chest. “You were unconscious,” he whispered. “Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to wake up to find you gone after everything that happened? Do not ever do that again.”

She relaxed slightly and wrapped her arms around him. “Not too tightly,” she reminded as he squeezed her closer. “I am sorry to have worried you. I just did not want to wake you. I just got hungry is all.”

Nero pulled away just long enough to cup her face in his hands before he leaned back in. She flicked her fins to raise herself a little higher and meet him halfway as he kissed her. It was warm and passionate, but there was a frantic energy coming from him that concerned her.

She broke the kiss and looked up to find tears in his eyes. Her heart squeezed in her chest and she reached up to wipe one of the tears away with her thumb. “Nero?” she inquired.

He bowed his head until their foreheads met. “I almost lost you; I thought I was going to…” he whimpered. Karina had never heard him sound this broken down, not even when they had made it to his pod and he had been told of Kera’s death. “Please never scare me like that again,” he begged. “I cannot lose you. You are my world.”

Karina tilted her head and kissed him tenderly. She cupped his face and hummed softly. “I was scared too,” she agreed. “But I am alright, I promise. Just a little tired and more than a little hungry, but no worse than that.”

Nero’s smile was small and shaky, but he nodded. “Then I suppose we should get you some food,” he murmured. His hands moved to the sides of her tail and she squeaked in surprise as he boosted her out of the water and onto the side of the pool. He hauled himself out next and pulled the white container over. She scowled when he popped it open with little trouble, but her focus quickly shifted to the container. She reached out to grab one of the slices of fish draped over chunks of frozen water. Before she could grab it though, Nero tugged the container away and covered the top with his hands.

Karina’s attention snapped to him with narrowed eyes. He was grinning at her and he crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue when she looked at him. He reached into the container and pulled out a strip of fish. He held it out towards her, but when she reached for it, he tugged it back and waggled his eyebrows at her. “That will cost you a kiss,” he taunted.

Karina huffed but shifted her weight and leaned in close. He closed his eyes and leaned into the meet her, but instead of kissing him, Karina grabbed him by the ear and pulled. “Nero? Give me the fish,” she growled.

He chuckled and shook his head, so she tugged harder until he winced. “Oh, alright,” he relented. He raised the meat up to her face and she bit into it without hesitation. She gave his ear one more yank and then kissed him before pulling away.

“Ruthless,” he teased as he straightened up once more and pulled out another piece. She rolled her eyes, but caved and allowed him to feed her. She could do it herself, but she did not blame him for desiring a moment of intimacy after everything, and she was so hungry that the delivery method did not matter so long as there was an intake of food. The fish was tender and juicy, and she purred as she gulped down as much as she could.

When she had finally sated her ravenous appetite, Karina felt full and heavy, and she hiccuped softly. “Thank you,” she purred.

Nero draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. “It might be best for you to get some more rest,” he advised. Karina nodded her agreement, but he was so comfortable and warm that she felt no inclination to move. Nero chuckled and pulled her into his lap. He kissed the crown of her head and she hummed happily. “Alright, I will take you,” he agreed while a deep rumble rose in his chest.

He slipped into the water and held her close as he began to swim down. Once they had hit the water, Karina felt the baby stir again. She did not need to worry about the baby making the switch from water to air since they would breathe neither until their gills opened for the first time, but it seemed that the environmental switch had been startling.

Karina put a hand on Nero’s chest. “Wait,” she requested quietly. When Nero paused in the water, Karina responded to his quizzical gaze by loosening her fins and tilting them forward just enough to see the infant. It gnawed on her nerves to do it, their child was so small and fragile and needed to be tightly cocooned, but she wanted Nero to see.

The wide-eyed look of wonder that spread across Nero’s face made it worth all the stress of exposing the newborn. Nero glanced at her with a hopeful question sparkling in his gaze. Karina took a breath and nodded.

Nero reached a hand down between the gap in her fins to press his hand to the side of the baby’s face. His hand was huge compared to the infant’s tiny skull, but he was incredibly gentle and it made Karina’s smile grow. He was going to be a wonderful father and she was incredibly lucky to have him.

“Nero…meet your son.”


End file.
